Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which means across America many of us reflected on those titans of history who managed, through personal courage and conviction, to make the world a better place. What were they like as people? How did they motivate themselves to do such extraordinary work? What price did they pay for their activism? 

Given the tragic end of King's life and the immense challenges faced by the likes of Nelson Mandela (27 years in prison) and Abraham Lincoln (major depression), it's easy to see these individuals as tragic heroes. They accomplished so much, but personally suffered greatly. 

Few of us will have their impact, of course, but their lives nonetheless inform our own attempts to be better people. Thinking of the lives of such heroes as full of suffering might dissuade us from doing our own small bit to advance justice and minimize suffering. Happiness and activism just don't go together, you might conclude. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from Inc.