3.13 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: The Measure of a Person

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma once said, “People that are mentally sharp are never tired.” He also said, “The big difference between a really good player and a great player is great players don’t get tired.”

Hard separates the bad from the good and the good from the great. When it gets hard, you get to see what people are made of.

Some embrace the hard, lean into it, match it, and go harder, but most either can’t, won’t, or just don’t. Most people shy away or run away from hard. They don’t respond well to adversity, or getting tired, or a difficult opponent.

If you can learn how to handle hard better, you can pass a lot of people, and this requires no talent or skill - just a tough, gritty mindset that doesn’t stop.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a great example. Everything he tried to do was hard, and while he is one of the most respected men in the world today, when he was alive, he was one of the most hated, often ridiculed and arrested for his desire to bring people together and fight for equality.

He once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Anybody can be great when it’s easy, but the best of the best are consistent and show up ready when it’s hard.

Question of the Day: When it gets hard, how will you show up and respond?