The Tokyo Olympics of 2021 (branded as the 2020 Summer Olympics) have been exciting to watch—so many different sports, so many countries represented, so much talent, heart, soul, effort, emotion, victory, jubilation and, sadly, defeat and disappointment. Such is the reality of competition.
With its 33 sports, 339 medal events and 50 disciplines, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad bring together competitors from all over the world, athletes whose primary desire is to win a Gold medal—the symbol of unequivocal, irrefutable, indisputable dominance in a specific discipline.
However, with thousands of competitors, only a few will be crowned the best of the best. The question therefore arises, “What is the main attribute of those who win Gold?” Is it luck? Of course not. Is it skill? Yes, to a degree but not totally. How about conditioning? A lot of athletes are in great condition but they don’t win a gold medal. So what is it? What one quality separates those Glorified with Gold?
The answer is that in any endeavor, whether it’s the Olympics or another activity, the key to successful realization is determination—a decision committed to purpose with neither compromise nor failure; a mindset that victory will not be denied.
When we watch sport after sport, event after event, discipline after discipline in the Olympics, it is impossible not to see that those who become victorious are those with a tenacious fire in their soul, a level of determination that dominates their psyche, an internal tour de force that will neither be restrained nor negated. Such a level of determination is an inspiration to behold and a beautiful thing to watch unfold right before our eyes.
In any endeavor in life, therefore, determination is the dominant attribute in realizing success. Desire is good, talent is good, a willingness to try is good, but in the end those who become victorious, who rise above the rest, who become the best of the best, will be those souls who are marked with an undying and uncompromising fire of determination in their soul.
