--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone has an opportunity to be great…" description: "\"Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone has an opportunity to serve.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png" --- # Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone… ![“Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone has an opportunity to serve.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png) > “Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone has an opportunity to serve.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness arises from service; everyone can achieve excellence by helping others. **In simple terms:** Serve others to achieve greatness. Key Takeaway Focus on serving to unlock potential. Themes service leadership potential Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - mentoring - community projects Key Concepts altruism empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can you create service opportunities? - What does greatness mean to you? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers may limit opportunities to serve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-opportunity/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-great-632775/) [Opportunity Serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-serve-259888/) [Serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever there is fear, there is opportunity. When there is great fear, there is great opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/whenever-there-is-fear-there-is-opportunity-when-there-is-great-fear/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [It is a great opportunity and a great challenge to be a part of Indian team for the World Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/it-is-a-great-opportunity-and-a-great-challenge-to-be-a-part-of/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [Last Comic Standing was a great opportunity and it was a great learning experience. Even though I didn't win, I've had more success than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/last-comic-standing-was-a-great-opportunity-and-it-was-a-great/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [“The opportunity to serve is everywhere if the heart is seeking and there is a willingness to take action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/the-opportunity-to-serve-is-everywhere-if-the-heart-is-seeking-and/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [“Whenever you get opportunity to serve, serve with all your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whenever-you-get-opportunity-to-serve-serve-with-all-your-heart/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For me politics is an opportunity to serve the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bappi-lahiri/for-me-politics-is-an-opportunity-to-serve-the-country/) [Bappi Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bappi-lahiri/) > [Any opportunity to serve in the Church is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-b-wickman/any-opportunity-to-serve-in-the-church-is-a-blessing/) [Lance B. Wickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-b-wickman/) > [“Every single day is an opportunity to do something great, and redefine our destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-scrieva/every-single-day-is-an-opportunity-to-do-something-great-and-redefine/) [Nadia Scrieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-scrieva/) > [For me, life is an opportunity to serve Him, and death is the privilege of getting to be with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-dibaj/for-me-life-is-an-opportunity-to-serve-him-and-death-is-the-privilege/) [Mehdi Dibaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-dibaj/) > [One should see any opportunity to serve as a rare and precious gift...and never waste such an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/one-should-see-any-opportunity-to-serve-as-a-rare-and-precious-gift/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [When I decided to run for Congress, I saw it as an opportunity to serve the South Jersey community that had become my home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-runyan/when-i-decided-to-run-for-congress-i-saw-it-as-an-opportunity-to/) [Jon Runyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-runyan/) > [I'd like to have another opportunity to serve. I believe in service. I enjoy it. I also like coming and going, you know, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-d-like-to-have-another-opportunity-to-serve-i-believe-in-service-i/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [Let's always remember that we work for the people of Louisiana. They honored us with the opportunity to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/let-s-always-remember-that-we-work-for-the-people-of-louisiana-they/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [God gives us opportunity to serve him by serving humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shri-radhe-maa/god-gives-us-opportunity-to-serve-him-by-serving-humanity/) [Shri Radhe Maa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shri-radhe-maa/) > [By getting an opportunity to serve society, we get a chance to repay our debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/by-getting-an-opportunity-to-serve-society-we-get-a-chance-to-repay/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Great opportunity quotes > [I was kind of like chasing my tail and trying to do the right thing, and was a little bit stupid. Or irresponsible, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/i-was-kind-of-like-chasing-my-tail-and-trying-to-do-the-right-thing/) [Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/) > [Those times when you feel like quitting can be times of great opportunity, for God uses your troubles to help you grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/those-times-when-you-feel-like-quitting-can-be-times-of-great/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [We feel that, with Sidney, we have a great opportunity over the next few years to put a great team on the ice. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/we-feel-that-with-sidney-we-have-a-great-opportunity-over-the-next/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [Great moments are born great opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/great-moments-are-born-great-opportunity/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [ As an artist, it's a great opportunity to play a character like this \[Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland\]. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/as-an-artist-it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-play-a-character-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [As a group I thought we played connected. I feel like we had a lot of great shots, some great opportunities, and for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-botterill/as-a-group-i-thought-we-played-connected-i-feel-like-we-had-a-lot-of/) [Jennifer Botterill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-botterill/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [This American system of ours,call it Americanism,call it capitalism,call it what you will,gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/this-american-system-of-ours-call-it-americanism-call-it-capitalism/) [Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/) > [I think that's a great opportunity, to pick a script where you can build up a good skill. I think the main thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-schroeder/i-think-that-s-a-great-opportunity-to-pick-a-script-where-you-can/) [Carly Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-schroeder/) > [It is a great opportunity and a great challenge to be a part of Indian team for the World Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/it-is-a-great-opportunity-and-a-great-challenge-to-be-a-part-of/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [To be honest, 'Ready Steady Cook' was a great opportunity, but I did compromise myself. I was stood there quizzing chefs on what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-be-honest-ready-steady-cook-was-a-great-opportunity-but-i-did/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [The first day working with my father was nerve wracking. I was terrified that I would embarrass him or he would embarrass me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/the-first-day-working-with-my-father-was-nerve-wracking-i-was/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd been at Valve since I got out of college. I felt like I kind of grew up there, and I wanted to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/i-d-been-at-valve-since-i-got-out-of-college-i-felt-like-i-kind-of/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [I think doing 'Teen Wolf' is just giving me a really great opportunity to possibly get other jobs and show what I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colton-haynes/i-think-doing-teen-wolf-is-just-giving-me-a-really-great-opportunity/) [Colton Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colton-haynes/) [Browse all 282 Great opportunity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-opportunity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone has an opportunity to serve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great-because-everyone-has-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great opportunity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great-because-everyone-has-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/martin-luther-king-jr-127_great-opportunity_everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great_2156552.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone has an opportunity to be great because everyone has an opportunity to serve.” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone has an opportunity to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great-because-everyone-has-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/everyone-has-an-opportunity-to-be-great-because-everyone-has-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```