The wisdom of Theodore Roosevelt (part 2)

"…the man in the arena…"

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

26^th President of the United States

Has victory or defeat ever been your portion in life?

Teddy put life, and himself, in the crosshairs.

Medal of Honor

He said:

"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...and…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." 

Lots of folks have said this in different ways, but the Bull Moose President puts his personal courageous stamp on it, think San Juan Hill and "the divil take the hindmost…" ---

Here's TR's complete statement:

"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."

 "Do what you can..."

Roosevelt, the Progressive