A great extract from Theodore Roosevelt's "Citizenship in a Republic" speech, labelled "The Man in the Arena" that focuses on action and being resilient to failure rather than just a commentator. Someone who is heavily involved in a situation that requires courage, skill, or tenacity, as opposed to someone sitting on the side-lines and watching, is often referred to as "the man in the arena":
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.
The Value of Action Over Criticism
Roosevelt's primary point is a powerful dismissal of the sideline critic. He argues that pointing out flaws from a distance is easy and meaningless. The person deserving of respect is the one "actually in the arena," actively trying to accomplish something. The critic risks nothing, while the participant risks everything—reputation, comfort, and the possibility of failure. The quote teaches that it's better to try and fail than to never try at all.
Wayne Gretzky's quote "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take", also expresses the value of action over inaction.
Embracing Imperfection and Failure
The quote normalizes and even honors failure as an essential part of any meaningful endeavor. Roosevelt acknowledges that the person in the arena "errs, who comes short again and again." He frames this not as a weakness, but as an inevitable consequence of striving. The insight here is that progress is impossible without mistakes and setbacks. Perfection is an illusion, and the fear of it often leads to inaction. True strength lies in the willingness to get back up after stumbling.
The Glory Is in the Struggle
Roosevelt uses visceral imagery—a face "marred by dust and sweat and blood"—to glorify the effort itself, independent of the outcome. This highlights that there is honor in the struggle. The "great enthusiasms" and "great devotions" are what give life meaning. The quote suggests that a life lived with passion and commitment is a victory in itself, regardless of whether specific goals are achieved.
A Warning Against Timidity
The final lines deliver the quote's most profound warning: to avoid becoming one of "those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Roosevelt presents a life without risk as a kind of spiritual death. By playing it safe, these individuals miss out on the highs of triumph and the lessons of failure. They exist in a gray, passionless middle ground. The ultimate message is that a full life requires daring greatly and experiencing the entire spectrum of human emotion and experience, from the agony of defeat to the ecstasy of victory.