My user name on my Peloton Bike is “DareGreatly”. It comes from this quote by Theodore Roosevelt, “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 with 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 best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement. And who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while DARING GREATLY.”

I have come to use this quote as a way to live my life. To live from a place of being in the arena. Being okay with stumbling and being face down in the dirt. Failing. Failing a lot. At first, this was overwhelming and lonely. The noise from the crowd was deafening and I could not find my way. It took me a long time to quiet the noise of the crowd and to focus on the few who were right there with me, right there in the arena getting dirty and messy with me. As I was able to hush out the sounds of the crowd and start to only listen to those in the dirt on the field with me, I found my path.

How have you dared greatly?

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