“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 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, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
–Theodore Roosevelt
Monday morning quarterbacking is the true American pastime. Whether it’s sports, morality, business or social life, humans have a natural inclination to validate themselves by judging others. It’s truly the minority of individuals who strike out boldly to achieve and accomplish, disregarding the risk of embarrassment, judgment and mockery in the pursuit of a worthwhile goal, and those of us who are willing to live so are inevitably the ones who will shape the future.
You have critics in your office, on your team, in your family and among your friends. There are voices that often sound like reason that give you counsel to lower your sights. Negativity often masquerades as wisdom:
“Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.”
“Wait your turn.”
“Be patient.”
As we wrote the other day, there are hundreds of answers to the question, “Why not me?” but if you’re a striver, there should be only one: no reason at all. The only thing that has ever stood between an individual and wild success is attitude. When we accept excuses and the false wisdom of “waiting” and “safety”, we get what excuses, waiting and safety bring. Averageness. Mediocrity. Status quo.
When we let the critics bellow from the bleachers while we swing for the fences, we put ourselves in the way of greatness. Opportunity is all around us, but only if we’re playing the game. Sure, we’ll strike out and embarrass ourselves and have times (sometimes long times) where we have nothing to show for our efforts and humiliation. But there will also inevitably be the glory, the moments when we’re held aloft by those same critics, the times when our sacrifices and efforts benefit everyone around us.
Let the critics do their murmuring. As long as we keep pressing on, seeking new horizons and greater opportunities, results will come our way. And when that time comes, there’s no sweetness like the silence of those who had the most to say about our abilities.
Question: Who are the critics in your life? How do you control your attitude when they try to get you down?
