“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
This is a portion of the speech “Citizenship In A Republic” which Roosevelt delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April 1910.
These words of wisdom, words of inspiration were delivered over a century ago, yet are as relevant today as they were in 1910. We can take Roosevelt's perspective and overlay it on any aspect of our lives and it's just as meaningful. This quote presents such a powerful reminder to me (and hopefully other women and men who read it) that history is our best teacher. There is so much to be learned from our past; our experiences, our history, our achievements and most of all our failures. It's also a profound reminder that anything worth doing is with doing with all your effort.
There are several key points that resonate for me:
The "triumph of high achievement" typically comes at a cost of great effort and enthusiasm. This type of effort and enthusiasm can only come when you have pride in your work and love what you do.
Trial and error isn't failure, rather it is gaining the experience required to succeed. We need to be flexible and creative in our thinking while working through past attempts and failures.
Dogged determination and commitment are essential for success. Nothing worthy comes easy. Tenacity pays dividends. As above, your trial and error pave the way.
There will always be critics and nay-sayers, but unless they are willing to enter the "arena", then their opinion(s) should be taken with a gain of salt. Remaining positive and optimistic is not only inspirational to others, but is essential for success.
It requires courage and a willingness to accept risk to achieve great things.
This speech says it all. These words inspire me and are a powerful reminder to put myself out there, to be vulnerable, to have the courage to step into the "arena" to be seen and heard, and to have the confidence to continue on, regardless of what the critics may think.
Are you willing to put yourself out there, to dare greatly in order to deliver on the mission and vision of your organization, to grow success within your team, and to achieve your goals?
(Photo: Zion National Park. Hurricane, Utah)
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