Even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

Martin Luther King (Jr.)

Quotation #4270

About This Quote

“The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life.” Sermon at New Covenant Baptist Church, Chicago, Ill., 9 Apr. 1967.

Source: "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life." Sermon at New Covenant Baptist Church, Chicago, Ill., 9 Apr. 1967. Additional Information: This MLK quote is from a sermon Dr. King gave in 1967. "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," commonly referred to as "The Street Sweeper" speech, is about being the best you can be, no matter your lot in life. The quote is the most popular excerpt from "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," and brings home the sermon's inspirational message. Here is a longer passage from King's speech containing the quote:

When I was in Montgomery, Alabama, I went to a shoe shop quite often, known as the Gordon Shoe Shop. And there was a fellow in there that used to shine my shoes, and it was just an experience to witness this fellow shining my shoes. He would get that rag, you know, and he could bring music out of it. And I said to myself, "This fellow has a Ph.D. in shoe shining." (That’s right)

What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; (Go ahead) sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

If you can’t be a pine on the top of a hill Be a scrub in the valley—but be The best little scrub on the side of the hill, Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway just be a trail If you can’t be the sun be a star; It isn’t by size that you win or fail— Be the best of whatever you are.

And when you do this, when you do this, you’ve mastered the length of life. (Yes)

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