114: Generosity in the Arena with You

"...It is not the critic who counts..."

This week, I am sharing a musical version of the Man in the Arena from Citizenship in a Republic, a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 and with original music written and performed by Deidre Corson.

Reflection questions:

• Imagine with the ending of your current campaign will look like.  What joy will you feel?  

• How can you encourage the donors and volunteers who are with you in the arena that the horizon of joy is coming?

Reflection on the quote:

This evening, I have the joy of celebrating the grand opening of a music school.  The Executive Director of this music school had reached out to me for a one-time coaching call during a challenging season of the capital campaign. A few months later, after I released a podcast with this quote, this Executive Director sent me a musical version of the Man in the Arena.

In the middle of any challenging campaign, it can seem like the sweat, blood, and failures are unending.  Like this Executive Director who continued to be in the arena, fund development is making effort after effort without knowing how each effort will turn out. Yet, by pressing to the end, there is a celebration when we have invited donors and volunteers into the arena to strive with us valiantly and to dare greatly. 

The Man in the Arena has entered the public domain.

Musical version was written with original music and performed by Deidre Corson and used by permission.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

Transcript

Welcome back to this podcast where we focus on the wisdom of generosity, from ancient to modern.  If you enjoy these five minute reflections on being a person in the beautiful space where generosity occurs, please share this podcast in your fundraising networks. 

This evening, I have the joy of celebrating the grand opening of a music school.  The Executive Director of this music school had reached out to me for a one-time coaching call during a challenging season of the capital campaign. A few months later, after I released a podcast with this quote, this Executive Director sent me a musical version of the Man in the Arena from Citizenship in a Republic, a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 and performed by Deidre Corson.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong person stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the person 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 themself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if a person fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

In the middle of any challenging campaign, it can seem like the sweat, blood, and failures are unending.  Like this Executive Director who continued to be in the arena, fund development is making effort after effort without knowing how each effort will turn out. Yet, by pressing to the end, there is a celebration when we have invited donors and volunteers into the arena to strive with us valiantly and to dare greatly. 

Let’s reflect on two questions:

Imagine with the ending of your current campaign will look like.  What joy will you feel?  

How can you encourage the donors and volunteers who are with you in the arena that the horizon of joy is coming?

Share this podcast if you enjoy these five-minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every Monday. To explore fundraising coaching deeper, visit Serving Nonprofits dot com. See you next week.