Martin Luther King Junior was one of the most vital leaders of the civil rights movements, a humanitarian and a philosopher in his own right. He was also one of the most compelling speakers in recent history. Who among us hasn’t heard segments from his speeches and marveled at his eloquence? His many strengths as a man, an orator, and as a leader make him a worthy figure of admiration. They also offer lessons that can be applied to make your business and personal life more meaningful, and more impactful.

What can you learn from Martin Luther King’s example?

Find where you can give

Martin Luther King was an African American born in a time when African Americans were severely marginalized and abused by most of the population and by the government. During the 1950’s, he became one of the most important leaders of the civil rights movement. His speeches inspired real change, and he was eventually awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his work. But his life could have been very different.

Martin Luther King didn’t have to become involved with the civil rights movement. In fact, it probably would have been better for him if he hadn’t as his efforts led to his assassination in 1968. But he was determined to make a difference, both for his family, for his people, and for his country. As he said in one of his iconic speeches “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?’”

This dedicated to service is just as valuable a lesson today as it was in the past, perhaps even more so. Too often we strive for money, for a better car or a nicer house. But how many of us truly strive to make the world better? And where would the world be if that changed?

Have a dream

How could this not be one of the lessons you can learn from this great man? In his speeches, and in his life choices, Martin Luther King encouraged others to have a dream and to pursue it, no matter what. In fact, most great leaders and innovators claim that having a dream is the most important part of being a good leader, and the only way to achieve real success. Martin Luther King Jnr used his dream to give courage to the downtrodden, and to incite sympathy and empathy in those who observed and were made allies by the strength of his words.

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." – Martin Luther King Jnr, 1963.

Without a dream you can’t inspire yourself and you can’t inspire others to follow you. If you truly want to be a great leader, whether it’s in business or in life, you need to have a vision that will drive you forward even when things are tough. And if your vision is really powerful, along the way you might be able to encourage a nation to believe in you as well.

A speech can move the world

This is an obvious one. Martin Luther King was one of the greatest speakers the modern world has ever known. His speeches energized a generation, kept them moving forward when they ran out of hope, and eventually won the day. But it was not only the eloquence of his words that were important. Martin Luther King’s speeches had a number of qualities that are vital for effective public speaking.

• Vivid, visual language
• A clear message
• The repetition of ideas to aid memory

These are strategies you too can use when making speeches. Your message might not be the same, but learning Martin Luther King’s techniques and making them a part of your public speaking practices will take you to a whole new level. If you need great public speaking skills to achieve your goals, he’s one of the best examples you can emulate.

Leave your mark on the world

Martin Luther King changed the world. When he left the world, it was a better place because of his work and his life. Most people secretly dream of this kind of legacy, but believe that it’s out of their reach. But Martin Luther King’s example proves that it really is achievable.

He was born to poor parents, and he was African American in a time when his people were hated, oppressed and outright murdered. But he rose above that, and he inspired the people around him to rise above it as well. He made his mark on the world, against amazing odds, and it was a deep one. This is a lesson and an inspiration for everyone who has ever dreamed of changing the world.

As a leader, an entrepreneur, and as a human being, make this your primary goal in life. Aim to leave the world better than it was because of your influence.

Never give up

Martin Luther King had a hard road. He faced opposition that many of us will never have to face, nor understand. And eventually, with persistent work, he succeeded. This is a lesson that is given often but it’s one that will never fail. If you want to succeed, you need to learn to face failure and to find a way around it. And it never helps to have examples of how it could always be worse to give you courage when things do go bad.

To lead, you must have followers

Martin Luther King would have had no impact if he’d simply shouted his message into the wind. To have the success he had, he also had to inspire the people around him to follow. He did this through his speeches and through the way he lived his life. And he also did this through his compassion.

In the late 1960’s, King became involved with other causes such as the Vietnam War, and with fighting poverty regardless of race. These policies made him less popular with the more militant activists of the time, who also resented his determination to work peacefully and within the law, but they also confirmed the strength of his character. This integrity is part of what made him such an inspiring leader and encouraged others to follow.

A true leader must have integrity. Cheating or lying may get you ahead in the short-term, but people who use this tactic are always found out eventually and punished. That’s why, if you want to lead, you need to show the same integrity and strength of character embodied by this great leader.

Everyone has value

This seems like an obvious lesson, and yet not in today’s political climate. It’s often a lesson we forget, one that’s overshadowed by anger and mistrust. And it’s one that, incredibly, people fought against in Martin Luther’s time. He fought for the basic rights of an entire race of people, a people who were thought of as less than human, hurt and humiliated at every turn. And his underlying message, both in his speeches and with his non-violent approach to the many problems he tried to solve, was always that all life was sacred.

“There is little hope for us until we become toughminded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths, and downright ignorance...” – Martin Luther King Jnr Strength to Love.

This is a lesson everyone needs to learn today, just as much as back then. Biases and prejudices may be a natural part of our brains, part of our defense mechanisms or our social programming, but they can also be defeated with rational thought and compassion. And this is perhaps the greatest lesson we can ever learn as human beings

The number one thing you can take away from this

Looking at the great leaders from the past and now can inspire you to do better in your own life. It can teach you about human nature, and about your own nature. Without Martin Luther King’s drive and his dream, this world would be a very different, and more frightening place. And what better legacy could any one person hope to leave for the world?

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