The key to achieving what you want

Perseverance is golden. If you've followed the winter Olympics in Sochi and watched the men's figure skating event, you may have witnessed a dramatic moment involving one of the U.S. skaters.

Jeremy Abbott, the 2014 U.S. Champion, took a very painful spill on his opening jump in the short program. The mistake launched him forward, throwing him to the ice on his hip and for a moment, it appeared like he might not be able to continue. When skaters fall they're conditioned to get up immediately. When he didn't, it was obvious he was in a lot of pain.

In more ways than one. Can you imagine what would have initially gone through his head? What would any of us have thought? Woe is me, what am I going to do now, etc. But he collected himself and got up.

He's criticized for crumbling under pressure but stood up to perform brilliantly for the remaining time on the clock. Having missed so much time, his choreography was initially out of sync but he completed all of his elements and finished with the music. Asked for comment, he said to ABC News "I wasn't going to let it go. I was like, 'Not this time.' My personal story has always been about perseverance and always getting up when I fall," said Abbott. "Maybe I'm not Olympic champion, but I can teach the world about that." (Quote via abcnews.go.com, By GILLIAN MOHNEY via Good Morning America)

 An Olympic Gold Medal is surely an achievement, but one of the single most important things to live with and strive for, is perseverance. It separates the onlookers in life from the heroes. With it, you can make a difference. Look to any grass roots effort for social change, weight loss story, comeback from injury, a business built from nothing... and you will see evidence of perseverance.

Whether I am training someone for sport, or a senior or active older adult looking to increase mobility, or someone who wants to lose weight and be more fit.... perseverance is a big part of it. Moxie means force of character, determination, or nerve. To work through the ups and downs on the way to any goal, to go through the grit and come out shining, is to have moxie. Do you have moxie? Be an athlete in your own life.