“It’s better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.”
– Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
The parking lot is for the tailgaters. They’re only there for the party. They’re not even watching. They have nothing to lose and nothing to gain.
“What happened? Why did he do that? That’s interesting. More beer, please.”
The stands are for spectators. They’re only there for entertainment. They may care about the outcome, but they can’t affect it. They’re probably hoping you get stomped.
“No! Yes! Go that way! Run!”
The arena is for you.
That’s where anything and everything happens. The outcome is uncertain. You matter. The bull matters. The risk is high. The reward is high. People are probably rooting for you to get stomped.
Get in the arena.
The people in the arena matter. The tailgaters and spectators don’t.
