The Man In The Arena

On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt gave a 35-page speech called Citizenship Of A Republic.  On page seven of the statement, he talks about ‘the man in the arena.’  Here is what he said:

“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.” 

Daring Greatly

Roosevelt states in this speech that the man in the arena is daring greatly.  The question I ask myself and that I invite you to ask yourself is:  In this one precious life I am given, am I daring greatly?  I don’t know about you, but I know I am willing.  Willing to remind me on a daily basis to dare greatly.

Stay true and be you —

Annie