Before the famous 1963 I Have A Dream speech, in 1960 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave an address on Founders Day at Spelman College titled Keep Moving From This Mountain. This address challenges and invites us to ... keep moving forward.
Today is a timely opportunity to share my favorite quote by Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taken from his Keep Moving from this Mountain address:
If you can't fly, run;
If you can't run, walk;
If you can't walk, crawl;
but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.
This is my favorite quote because it offers encouragement when you face insurmountable challenges and have feelings of inadequacy, fatigue or frustration. Wondering about the context of this quote and foung it offers an opportunity to reflect on our beliefs, behaviors, and ambitions.
There are multiple lessons in Dr King's address as he evaluates human nature and identifies peoples throughout history when climbing a metaphorical mountain take one of three stances:
- Desire to return to the past, regardless of how painful because they are afraid of what's ahead and the past is familiar
- Are complacent with the present or current situation because they fear going back or forward
- Are willing to move ahead, though unsure how or the destination because the past and current place is undesirable
Here's my reflection and invitation to you, as we heed Dr King's call we should reflect on our mind and hearts ability to retreat, freeze or move forward regardless if you are:
- Using the new year season to assess your personal life changes
- Deciding how to navigate the coming 4 political years
- Running a business/organization that needs to move
Regardless of the mountain you're climbing, remember Dr King's words “If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl; but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
The original speech courtesy of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
Image by Pinnacle Performance Champions
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