391 - Get in the Arena

0:00Theodore Roosevelt gave one of the most powerful descriptions of courage and action ever spoken. He said the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, not the critic, not the observer,

0:14Bruce Whipple:not the person sitting comfortably in the stands pointing out what could have been done better that applies directly to business acquisitions as well. Because I've seen a lot of people who say they want to acquire a business. They want the freedom. They want the income. They want the control. They want the upside. They want the life that comes with owning something meaningful. But many never actually get in the arena. They watch. They think. They research. They reorganize their notes. They tweak their criteria. They wait for confidence. They wait for certainty. They wait for the perfect moment.

0:56Bruce Whipple:And while they are doing that, somebody else is sending the letter. Somebody else is making a call. Somebody else is asking for the meeting. Somebody else is building their board. Somebody else is getting told no and learning from it. And somebody else is gaining momentum. The truth is you don't build confidence before you enter the arena. You build confidence by entering it. You build confidence by taking action while you still feel uncertain. You build confidence by being willing to look imperfect. You build confidence by doing the things that expose you to rejection, discomfort, and the possibility that it will not go smoothly.

1:42Bruce Whipple:That is what the arena is. The arena is outreach. The arena is follow-up. The arena is getting ignored. The arena is having a seller say no. The arena is having a board prospect not respond. The arena is feeling uncomfortable and doing it anyway. Too many people want the reward of the arena without the exposure of the arena. They want the deal, but not the discomfort. They want the results, but not the risk. They want the outcome, but not the awkwardness of beginning. but it does not work that way. The people who make progress in acquisitions are not always the smartest people in the room. They are often the ones most willing to engage consistently.

2:30Bruce Whipple:They're willing to send the first letter. They're willing to make the first call. They're willing to have the first imperfect conversation. They're willing to keep going when it is not yet producing a visible result. That is why Roosevelt's words matter so much, because he reminds us that the person who counts is the one who is actually doing the work. Not perfectly, not flawlessly, not without making mistakes, but doing it. And that is an important reminder for anyone listening to this who may be sitting on the sidelines right now. Let me say it clearly. You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin, but you do need to begin.

3:17You do not need the perfect script before making outreach. You do need to make outreach. You do not need total confidence before asking someone to join your board, but you do need to ask. And you do not need certainty before getting into motion. You need motion to create certainty. Some of you may be standing just outside the arena right now. You are close enough to see it, close enough to talk about it, close enough to imagine yourself in it, but you are still not in. And if that is you, I want to challenge you. What would getting in the arena look like this week? Would it be sending 10 letters?

4:01Would it be calling three prospects? Would it be asking someone for a meeting? Would it be following up with the person who you have been hesitant to approach? Would it be making one execution commitment that involves another human being? Whatever it is, do that. Because the sidelines are crowded.

4:22Bruce Whipple:That is where most people stay. They analyze, they explain, they compare, they justify, they drift. But the arena is different. The arena is where growth happens. The arena is where confidence gets built. The arena is where momentum starts. The arena is where deals begin. The arena is where you find out what you are capable of. And yes, in the arena, you may stumble. You may get ignored. You may feel uncomfortable. You may not look polished. Good. That means you are there. That means you are no longer just thinking about it. That means you are no longer one of the cold and timid souls Roosevelt talked about.

5:08You are in the game. So here is my message for you today. Do not admire the arena from a distance. Enter it. Do not wait for the perfect time. Step in now. Do not measure yourself by how ready you feel. Measure yourself by whether you are engaging. because in the end, the people who change their lives are usually not the ones with the best intentions. They are the ones willing to get in the arena and stay there. It's a powerful, powerful piece that Roosevelt wrote, and I'd encourage you to look for it, maybe post it. It's entitled The Man in the Arena. And if you are wondering how to begin, go over to BruceWhipple.com.

5:58I might encourage you to take the free class or course, actually, series of videos on the objections you're going to hear and the best way I've found to answer them. That in and of itself will probably alleviate some concerns. But yes, get in the arena. That is where the fun begins and has been said many times, all the good things you want are just outside your comfort zone.