When you really want to understand someone, look at the quotes they carry with them. For Alan, two quotes rise to the top, and together they offer a powerful blueprint for a grounded, resilient, and quietly courageous kind of leadership.

The first is the well-known passage from Theodore Roosevelt, often referred to as "The Man in the Arena":

"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, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; 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 fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

This isn’t just an ode to bravery; it’s a full-throated defense of those who dare to act. For Alan, this quote is less about grandeur and more about grit. It's about showing up, even when success isn't guaranteed. Especially when it isn't. The arena, after all, isn't comfortable. It demands persistence, humility, and above all, action. You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to keep going.

The second quote, from Jon Gordon's The Power of Positive Leadership, carries that thread forward in plainspoken terms:

"No matter what anyone says, just show up and do the work. If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way. Lead with passion. Fuel up with optimism. Have faith. Power up with love. Maintain hope. Be stubborn. Fight the good fight. Refuse to give up. Ignore the critics. Believe in the impossible. Show up. Do the work. You'll be glad you did. True grit leads to true success."

Here, leadership is stripped of fanfare. There are no speeches, no applause, just the quiet discipline of consistency. Alan has always believed that real leaders don’t need attention—they need a mission. They don’t react to critics or flattery. They get up, again and again, and do what needs to be done.

Both quotes say the same thing in different voices: courage is about continuing. Integrity is about consistency. And leadership? It's about being the one who shows up.

In a world obsessed with optics and applause, Alan finds his compass elsewhere. He leads not for recognition, but because the work matters. And that’s why he’s the kind of leader you want in your corner not just in the arena, but in life.