Criticism is necessary and useful; it is often indispensable; but it can never take the place of action, or be even a poor substitute for it. The function of the mere critic is of very subordinate usefulness. It is the doer of deeds who actually counts in the battle for life, and not the man who looks on and says how the fight ought to be fought, without himself sharing the stress and the danger. Theodore Roosevelt(1894)
President Roosevelt, often simply known as “TR” is perhaps better known for his more famous “critic” quote [“it is not the critic that counts. . .”], a cousin of sorts to this quote. However, the sentiment (and the inherent principle) in this less famous quote and is the same. To succeed in college, in business, in life, we must take action. To sit and wait or to merely exist is to sadly, only, take up space. Far too many of us sleepwalk through life, easily seduced by the time-wasters, only to awake (if we awake at all) many years later to realize life is now gone, passed us by.
Certainly we should hear our critics for at times they see a blind spot that we cannot. It is an unwise man who refuses to listen to others. As a professor, my students critique me often and, at times, they take me task. I could, as some of my peers say, simply not listen because “they are just students; what do they know about what we do?” Yet, I believe that I can learn better about being a critical thinker by at least hearing the criticism.
Yet to sit and wait only on the critic, or merely sit aside BEING the critic, is to miss multiple opportunities that only emerge as you start moving forward. So often in my life, I have started moving from Point A to Point B, sometimes only in faith that this is the right course. Then, as I move forward, I begin to see better, more opportunities and before you know it, Point C has become clear. I re-direct myself knowing I am moving in the better direction. This is critical; I would not have seen Point C if I had not started moving.
Be bold in life. Go for it! What are you hoping to accomplish in 5 years, in 1 year, in the next 6 months or the next 3 months? Start taking action. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Immerse yourself in biographies of the great ones who lived boldly. Make your goals or dreams real by writing them down. Then, move resolutely towards your goal!!!
Be the “doer of deeds.”
You can do it!