Background:

During a time of discouragement in college, a favorite professor gave me a copy of the following quote, which he kept in his wallet.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them 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 short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt, President (1901-09), 1858-1919

Success

Don't be afraid to fail
  Or your dreams you'll cease to strive
Heed not the mockings of those
  Who really are not alive

Look not to the side for direction
  To the lamb-skinned wolves nearby
Who say that they do speak the truth
  But devour with a lie

Look above for your direction
  To the star in the sky
And don't be afraid to fail
  And be not afraid to try!

©  winter of 1976, S. K. Smith