CHLOE KIM: AN OLYMPIAN’S PATH TO GOLD

path to gold

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Kim’s phenomenal Olympic score of 98.25 swept past her competition, beating Chinese competitor and silver medalist Liu Jiayiu by 8.5 points. That kind of perfection was born from the tenacity and determination of a heart set on the Olympics, and a clear strategy on how she would get there.

Kim’s journey to snowboarding stardom began when she was only four years old. Picking up the sport alongside her father, the young Olympian discovered her passion at an early age.

Backed by the unyielding support of her father and family, Kim would grow up dedicated to honing her snowboarding skills. She would rise early in the morning in her SoCal home to make the 5 ½ hour trek to Mammoth Mountain just to practice. When Kim wasn’t on the slopes, she would be on the trampoline, discovering and memorizing the techniques to her growing repertoire of tricks.

“I tell her to be humble,” her father said to reporters, “that this is from hard work, that you weren’t born this way.”

This advice, so simple and yet so relevant, is one that we all should take to heart.

THE OLYMPIAN IN ALL OF US

Why do stories like Chloe Kim’s inspire us? Why do we rally behind them and rejoice in their success?

Because they go to prove that you don’t have to be born into fame or fortune to achieve something great. It’s the idolized American Dream to work our way up the ladder, earning each step with the sweat of our efforts.

Gold medals do not come easily. Success, whether you’re competing in the Olympics or fighting to build a business from the ground up, stems from a plan, a wealth of hard work, and the courage to take sensible risks.

The road to success is not a smoothly paved path. There will be bumps and snags; risks and failures. As we define our objectives and create a strategy, we must put it to the test.

Will you take the risk?

There is an Olympian in all of us, capable of reaching unbelievable heights.