Gladiator for Life

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out where the strong man stumbled 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. At best, he knows the triumph of high achievement; 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.


Where are you? In the arena or standing in the stands? Have we as a people lost the heart to stand in the sands of the arena and battle for the Life that we want? I would say that for the most part we have. Or rather, not necessarily that we have lost the heart to fight, but that the heights that we aspire to are SO much lower than they could be.

We see the battle raging every day when you see the single parents (mothers and fathers) struggling to provide their kids with the best they can. People working two and three jobs to make ends meet for their families. Hopeful people that are trying to clean up their communities and make a difference in some way.

But what about the BEST and HIGHEST Life that is possible?? Why don’t we shoot for that anymore? Have we been beaten down by the world so much that aiming for the stars has become impossible?

Sometimes, when I talk to people about the things that I want for my life and my kids’ lives, they just stare at me. I don’t feel like I’m wanting too much, but the reactions I get definitely tell me that others think differently. It’s not that I’m expecting things to just fall into my lap. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t complain if they did, but I know better. I expect to have to work hard for what I want and that’s OK with me. But I know LOTS of people that feel it’s too much to work hard for the stars.

You hear it all the time in the world today. Someone looking for a free hand out. Groups of people shouting for the government to take care of them and being outraged if it doesn’t happen fast enough. What is wrong with these people? I can honestly say that I have never gotten or asked for a free hand out. Sure, I’ve had some hard times and people that care about me have helped me out. But that’s different, even if they didn’t let me pay them back. However, it seems that we now have a class of people that desire to live off of other people’s hard work. In nature, that is called a parasite and eventually it will kill the host organism. The only way to keep that from happening is to remove it.

I don’t know about you, but I find it VERY hard t be around someone that won’t work for what they want. Maybe I’m a bit snobby. Maybe I just expect more from the people I meet. You see, I EXPECT you to get out and work hard for your dreams. In the same way that I EXPECT you to succeed if you do. It’s not really a matter of if, but rather when, as long as you as putting every ounce of strength, energy, and desire into achieving it.

Life is not something you just quit on. Throwing your hands up and say “I quit!” is not an option. Well, I mean, it IS, but that just sucks. Because it’s not like quitting a job where you go out the next day and find a new one. It’s quitting on YOURSELF! And in reality, you are the only one working FOR yourself. If you quit on you, there is no one else to pick up and do it.

I’m not saying that it’ll be easy. I think this is the only time I’ve used that word here today. It WILL be hard. You WILL fail at times. But, here’s the kicker, it WILL be worth it. Every drop of sweat and blood, every ounce of flesh, every moment of pure exhaustion where you kept on going, will be the epic that will see you, in the end, out amongst the stars. You will be the sole standing gladiator and you can raise your arms high and shout in victory.

But, that’s only if you choose to take to the arena in the first place. The audience doesn’t get that honor. They don’t get the blessing of success. They get to watch as others howl in the ring and gain the victor’s cup. They are the ones that miss the thrill of overcoming. I would even say; they are the bitter one’s that envy those that try. Complainers and whiners that try to bring those that try down, so they can stay safe within their little confines and never risk failure.

See, that’s part of the price. The risk of failure. No one likes to fail, but it’ll happen if you try for the stars. But remember this, it’s not a true failure if you get back up and keep trying. It’s only a failure if you stay on the ground and give up. We like to internalize failures and beat ourselves up with all the failures we have ever had. But YOU are not your failures. You are not a sum of the times you fall, but rather, a sum of the times you get back up. As long as there is one more get up than fall, you’re succeeding.

I am shooting for the stars and beyond. Join me in the arena of life and let’s battle shoulder to shoulder and back to back. I know that together, we can all really kick some ass. :-)