“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”
George Washington Carver
Upon reading this quote this morning the first thing that rose in my mind was the famous quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. about the calling of a street sweeper.
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” Martin Luther King Jr.
This has long been one of my favorite quotes. Strangely enough when I search my blog I see that I haven’t used it as a leadership quote, at least not since I started capturing the quotes via the blog. I will have to rectify that oversight soon!
The second thing that came to mind was the verse from Matthew where Christ said “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:41 ESV
Going the extra mile, even on the common job, is what sets one apart from 99.99% of everyone else in the world. Perhaps doing the common thing uncommonly well is even more exceptional in today’s world. In a time and place where so many just focus on the minimum expectation going the second mile is truly what sets one apart.
We should all aspire to have the attitude of the street sweeper that Reverend King references. Take that thing which you are called to be and go the second mile no matter how common you might feel that calling to be…