I have been watching the Winter Olympics over the past few weeks and marvelling at the tenacity and determination of the young, and not so young athletes striving to achieve and better their personal best.

For some it is a sport where they have discovered and developed a unique God-given talent.

For others it is a sport in which they enjoy a modicum of talent and have then had to work doggedly over a number of years to improve their skill.

It can be heartbreaking for us to watch an athlete fall or make a mistake which means they have lost that medal opportunity.

But, although the individual athletes are doubtless disappointed, they are also aware that winning is not just about that single moment on the world stage.

And this mindset can be reflected in our daily lives.

In the Baha’i Writings it says: “Strive, that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers”.

So, just as an athlete is always pushing the barriers of what can be achieved, we too are seeking to better ourselves in a spiritual sense, to develop loving relationships and to become more thoughtful, caring, responsible members of society.

Many times we experience setbacks, and sometimes the struggle can seem unbearable.

But we should remember that the triumph is not in reaching a spiritual perfection, which is arguably, unattainable, in this life.

Like an athlete, it is in the daily desire and striving to achieve, in the determination to plough on despite difficulties, in the small, but growing successes, that we find a true and lasting triumph.