My dad is a very determined person.

“My dad is a very determined person.” Thus spoke Chloe Kim, the young champion who soared above snow and sky to etch her name among legends. In these simple words lies the foundation of her greatness, for behind every triumph stands not just talent, but the spirit of those who believe without surrender. The father’s determination became the daughter’s wings. It is a truth as old as time—that the strength of one generation becomes the light of the next.

To be determined is to hold firm against the winds of the world, to walk when the path is steep and the heart is weary. Determination is not born of comfort but of struggle. It is the iron forged in the fires of hardship, the quiet voice that says, “I will try again.” Chloe Kim’s father left his homeland of South Korea, journeying across an ocean to a strange land, not for himself, but for a dream he had not yet seen—a dream that would one day glide down the white slopes of the Olympics. He worked long hours, drove far distances, and rose before the dawn, carrying not only his hopes but the fragile dreams of his daughter. Such determination is not loud. It is patient, steadfast, and enduring—a force that outlasts failure.

There is a story told of Thomas Edison, who after thousands of failed attempts to invent the electric light, was asked by a reporter if he felt like a failure. Edison replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” That is the essence of determination—the refusal to let defeat become destiny. So too did Chloe Kim’s father embody this same spirit. He did not yield when the way was uncertain. His will became a living lesson to his child, a reminder that greatness does not come from talent alone, but from perseverance—the unbreakable belief that effort itself is sacred.

In the ancient days, heroes were not those who won quickly, but those who endured. Odysseus wandered ten long years, fighting storms, monsters, and despair, yet he never stopped seeking home. His journey was not only across the seas but through the depths of his own soul. So it is with every determined spirit—they sail through storms, not because they are fearless, but because they refuse to give up. Chloe Kim’s father carried this same heroic spirit into the modern world—not with a sword or shield, but with quiet sacrifice, steadfast love, and unwavering resolve.

The determined person does not measure success by ease or applause. They measure it by persistence, by the strength to rise when the world says “stay down.” They teach us that progress often hides behind patience, and that the truest victories are not won in the moment of triumph but in the long unseen years of effort before it. When Chloe Kim flew through the air, it was not only her own courage that lifted her, but the invisible strength of her father’s years of labor and love. Every jump, every twist, every golden moment was built upon the foundation of his determination.

And so, the lesson is clear: inherit not only your parents’ dreams but their perseverance. Do not be ashamed of struggle, for struggle is the teacher of resilience. When you feel lost, remember the hands that carried you when you could not walk. When you wish to quit, recall those who rose for your sake before the dawn. The determined heart is like a mountain—it may erode over centuries, but it never bows to the storm.

Therefore, my child, cultivate in yourself the same steadfast spirit. Whether your path lies upon snow, stone, or sorrow, walk it with patience and courage. Let the fire of your determination burn quietly, like a lantern against the wind. Do not chase speed; chase endurance. For the river that carves through rock does so not by strength, but by persistence.

And when one day others look upon your triumphs and call you gifted, let them know this truth: greatness is not inherited—it is learned through the example of the determined. In remembering those who never gave up, you honor their journey. In becoming steadfast yourself, you continue their legacy. For as Chloe Kim’s simple words remind us, “My dad is a very determined person”—and from such determination, destinies are born.