The choices we make

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated and gave his life to the relentless appeal to our better nature, which he represented as a stark choice. He famously said, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

Through action or inaction we choose how much or how little good we project into the world around us.

Those choices can arise in subtle ways – in the words we use, in the thoughtfulness we employ, and in the respect we offer to others. Creative altruism means giving our time, energy and attention in ways both big and small, both planned and unexpected, and both overt and invisible.

At UBS, I continue to be inspired and humbled by all of my colleagues who choose to stand up and speak out in support of others. Their passion, partnership and advocacy are helping our firm to transform into a stronger and more inclusive organization. Just as important are my countless colleagues who go out of their way to look inward, to challenge their own unconscious biases, and to be more deliberate about the choices they make.

This weekend, it’s important to remember the choices we all make about whether we help or hinder others – and how those decisions accumulate in powerful ways. It takes long-term commitment to change the world, and it’s easy to be distracted from our goals or feel daunted by the long road we still need to travel. But great progress is the result of countless individual acts. To honor Dr. King’s legacy, let’s focus on the choices we make tomorrow, and every day after, about the kind of people, industry and country we want to be.