Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Roosevelt argues that daring to achieve great things, even with failure, is better than living a safe life without significant joy or pain.
- In plain terms
- It is better to take risks and fail than to never try and live safely.
- What can you take from it?
- Courage to attempt great things outweighs the safety of never trying.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is worth risking?
- How do you define a life well lived?
Another view
Not all risks lead to valuable outcomes.
More from Theodore Roosevelt
I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.
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