Stepping into the Arena

Below is an excerpt from, Theodore Roosevelt's "Citizenship in a Republic" speech , often referred to as the "Man in the Arena" passage. Famously Brené Brown quoted it in her TED talk and references it in several of her books.  The excerpt speaks of the importance of action and striving towards worthy goals, rather than focusing on what others think or inaction. The pieces says that  true value lies in the effort and struggle, even with errors and shortcomings, rather than in the judgment of those who just watch and don't step into the Arena.

"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, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." 

I have recently stepped into the Arena, I have joined a gym at 54 years old.  It has been amazing to enter an unknown space as the poem suggests there have been several moments where I have come short, but it is not for want of effort. 

Patch fitness runs small PT sessions with strength and cardio combined.  I have never lifted a weight before so you can imagine it was to say the least frightening.  However weights or no weights, as in actual fact I just lifted a bar with the most gentle guidance of the coach. 

Starting at Patch fitness has been an education, and the overriding success has been the people in the Arena with me.  The coaches are phenomenal by knowing that your name is always the sweetest thing just hearing "Yes Bev" as you are on a machine you have never used before is so kind.  The first time I went on the rowing machine my trainers got stuck in the strapping.  I nearly fell off the ski machine for being too far back!! There is always someone there with you, gently encouraging.

The expansion of the brain is always good, at Patch you have to understand the exercise, count and learn a new language!! "Bev we are now doing 8 reps of a reverse squat" .  As the poem suggests i have been daring greatly and trying really hard to count and do the exercise properly, often one part is often lacking.

Courage is contagious and in a small space with supportive people you are pushed to find that confidence in your own physicality.  This is very new to me, as I work on peoples  thinking and not how they move, however I have now been aware of the overlap.  I invite people to attend coaching sessions to step into an Arena and think differently, at Patch they are inviting you to move differently.

It has been a month and I am so grateful to all the team at Patch for making me so welcome in such a new Arena.