Want To Make A Meaningful Contribution? Use The "Man in the Arena" Razor

Read time: 3 minutes

You look down at your feet.

They are covered in a thin film of dust and dirt. A mere 9 inches to your left is a jagged rock. It was meant to hit you but didn’t quite travel far enough.

You look back up — you’re standing in the middle of an arena filled with thousands of spectators in the crowd.

They are yelling, shouting, and criticizing you. But it is you who is in the arena – not them.

You smile.

On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech titled “Citizenship in a Republic,” emphasizing the importance of active participation in society. At the core of his message is that citizenship requires people to engage to make a meaningful contribution, not just spectators criticizing from the sideline.

The speech is best known for the "Man in the Arena" passage, where Roosevelt praises those who dare to take risks and confront challenges, acknowledging that even if they fail, their courage and effort deserve respect.

While his speech directly addresses society and civic contribution, its essence applies broadly to business and personal development.

One such example is the “Man in the Arena” razor, which suggests:

When faced with two options, choose the option that puts you in the arena because it will make for greater outcomes and a more meaningful contribution.

The term "razor" is often used to describe a principle that cuts away unnecessary complexity, leaving behind a more straightforward understanding or approach.

It is safe and comfortable to stay on the sidelines. It’s hard to be in the arena.

If you want to feel the power of Roosevelt’s message, click the video below to watch this shortened version of the speech.

Why does the "Man in the Arena" razor matter?

We each have our arenas.

Just because it’s there doesn’t mean we always enter it, especially for those who default to thinking of it as their strategic advantage. If that is you, then the "Man in the Arena" is a mindset designed to nudge you to actively engage where you typically choose to hesitate.

It's a call to action, pushing you to take risks and learn from experiences to enable growth and outsized rewards.

Being in business only amplifies the criticism of the spectators, especially when building a brand in public.

You’re surrounded by advice from those ‘who’ve made it’ and trolls that feel strongest knocking you down with their keyboard as the shield.

But you don’t need to be online to feel this heat.

Because sometimes you are the biggest critic – throwing rocks at the person you aspire to be.

How do you build a mindset to become the "Man in the Arena" in business and life?

The obvious answer is to leverage your motivation to break your comfort zone – but I don’t recommend attacking this so directly.

The problem with motivation is it’s a short-term energy source. The fear of failure and social pressures are too cunning to let motivation win so easily. You need a more durable and resilient source: discipline.

But it’s not like you develop discipline overnight, either.

So, instead of trying to brute force your way in — approach the process with some finesse.

Instead, use empathy.

Here’s why.

There is more to the quote above. The paragraph ends with:

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…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.”

As Roosevelt puts it, don’t be the “cold and timid soul” that is forever a critic and a spectator. So instead of trying to become the “Man in the Arena,” first learn not to be a “cold and timid soul.”

That means to start by being a supportive spectator in someone else’s arena.

It’s much easier to refrain from being someone you don’t want to be than trying to become the exact person you aspire to be.

Learn what it takes to clap — and how to hold back your critique.

Why?

You build up to become the person you wish to be with stepping stones.

And a supportive spectator is the first stone. You can train your brain to clap for others so you know what to listen for when it’s your turn in the arena because there will be setbacks.

You need those setbacks.

But the smart way is to endure setbacks with a bunch of supportive spectators mixed in the crowd.

And even a faint clap echoes loudly among the shouting — the signal in the noise. 

You can’t ignore the spectators or pretend they don’t exist because they make the arena possible.

Learn to become the ‘Man in the Arena’ through empathy.

Thanks for reading,

Peter

P.S. Please share this with a friend, colleague, or even a stranger who runs a business — my goal is to get more business owners to think with impact to master decisions, solve more complex problems, and increase business value.

If you missed last week’s post:

Last week, I wrote:

Here’s Why Most Business Owners Struggle To Do Smart Work

It’s about rewiring your internal operating system to redefine what a strong work ethic means so you can do the smart work (and not feel guilty doing it).

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