Daring Greatly

A while ago I came across a quote by President Theodore Roosevelt that instantly resonated with me.  It's from a speech he gave in 1910 and I found it on Brene Brown's website while reading about her new book (which I haven't read yet, but probably will when it comes to my local library) called Daring Greatly. 

I loved the quote so much, I decided my kids should memorize it.  As part of school they are always memorizing quotes and facts from history, science and different readings we do, and I threw this one into their rotation.  It teaches that it is the ability to work hard...no, I take that back.  We do not have an ability to work hard (it's not something we're born with or not), we have a choice.  This quote very strongly shows that choosing to work hard IS hard.  But it is worth it (even when things don't turn out how we want)! 

President Roosevelt said,

“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…”

Every time I read it I want to jump out of my chair while pumping my arm in the air and yell, "Yes!"  It's so inspiring.  And it only gets better when my cutie 5 year old is standing there reciting it for me.  Now that they all know it pretty well, we're going to have a lesson about what it means. 

Man, I love teaching my kids.