“It is not the critic who counts”
not the man who points out where the strong
man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could
have done 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 and comes up short again and
again, because there is no effort without error
and shortcoming; who spends himself in a worthy
cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph
of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place
shall never be with those cold and timid souls who
know neither victory nor defeat”
Teddy Roosevelt, 1910
That’s a great quote.
Here’s another (unattributed):
“Critics are like eunuchs at a love-in.”