The man in the arena

The critic doesn't matter, it's the person in the arena who counts. They may stumble and make mistakes, but they strive valiantly and give their all. Even if they fail, they fail while daring greatly. They are not like the cold and timid souls who never know victory or defeat. It's 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. No, 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.