
The Winner's Creed
It’s not the critic who counts;
Nor the person who points out how the strong person stumbled;
Or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the people who are actually in the arena;
Whose faces are marred by sweat and dust and fatigue;
Who are determined to succeed and to give all they can.
The credit belongs to the people who fall
And come up stronger, again and again.
To those who are enthusiastic and devoted to excellence,
And spend themselves in a worthy cause.
The credit belongs to the people who -- at best -- when they win
Know the triumph of high achievement;
And who -- at worst -- when they fail
At least they fail while daring greatly.
So that their place in history shall never be
With those cold and timid souls
Who know neither victory nor defeat.
* * *
The WKC Creed is paraphrased from comments
by Theodore Roosevelt
© 2002, 2015 Skate Free Wheelers/Winning Kids Club
