Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks for the abundance of blessings we have - our freedoms, our safety, and our tranquility. Kevin Monroe starts this Thanksgiving Week episode by expressing gratitude to listeners for their overwhelming support of the podcast and the Gratitude Challenge which just concluded its fifth installment. Over 1500 people from 50 countries have taken part. He invites you to take part in the upcoming Joy Challenge which starts on December 9 and continues for 12 days. Each day you will complete a simple challenge designed to unleash and amplify the joy in your life and the world around you. Joy is better when it's enjoyed with others.

Your Best Life Is In The Arena
Kevin recently attended a football game that boasted a record crowd. He says he couldn’t escape the fact that over 100,000 people were in the stands, and millions more elsewhere, to watch 22 players. Only the players were in the arena while everyone else was somewhere else:  either watching the action, waiting to get in on the action, commentating on the action or missing out on the action. If you’re committed to living an extraordinary life, Kevin says, there’s only one place that can happen, and that’s in the arena. He quotes the Man In The Arena speech by Theodore Roosevelt, “...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…” He asks listeners, Are you in the arena? Life is not a spectator sport. Life is meant to be lived in the arena, so if you’re sitting in the stands, it’s time to change. Get on the field and play.

Who’s Not In The Arena
Kevin lists the different categories of people who are not in the arena:

Tailgators - In the US people spend more time at tailgate parties than the actual game. For various reasons, they never actually go to the game, they stay in the parking lot. They are missing out on the action.

Players on the bench - These are either specialist players who enter the field when it’s their turn to contribute or backup players. They’re just waiting for the coach to call them to the field. If you feel like you’re a backup, Kevin encourages you to get ready to go on the field. Your time is coming, he says.

Players in the locker room - If you get injured or disabled on the field, you’re sent to the locker room. You have to sit the game out and you may even be licking your wounds. Don’t be discouraged, Kevin says. Once you have a pulse you have a purpose. You’re still living and breathing so you still have a contribution to offer the world. Get back in the arena.

Penalty box - You may have made mistakes or disregarded the rules, and you’ve been sent to the penalty box. You too can get back in the game in time, Kevin says.

Reporters - These are the people who comment on the game. You get to report the play by play action, but you’re not on the field. If you want to get in the game, you can. It may be as a coach or mentor but get in there regardless.


Are You In The Arena?
Kevin concludes this week’s show by encouraging listeners to ask themselves what’s keeping them out of the arena of life. The arena is where you will live your decade of difference. Don’t beat yourself up over your shortcomings, we all have some. Get in the arena and dare greatly.

Resources
Join the Joy Challenge
Book Your Decade of Difference
Email Kevin: kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com 
Call: 678-744-5111

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinmonroe.substack.com