The Man in the Arena – Teddy Roosevelt

the poorest

way to face life is to face it with a

sneer

there are many men who feel a kind of

twisted pride and cynicism

there are many who confine themselves to

criticism of the way

others do what they themselves dare not

even

attempt

there is no more unhealthy being

no man less worthy of respect than he

who

either really holds or feigns to hold

an attitude of sneering disbelief toward

all that is great and lofty

whether an achievement or in that noble

effort which

even if it fails comes to second

achievement

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 was actually in the arena

whose face is marred by dust and sweat

and blood

who strives valiantly who

airs who come 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