In China, there is a subtle and elegant custom when drinking tea: when someone pours tea for you, you express your thanks by gently tapping your bent index and middle fingers on the table.  This is called “Kòu ZhǐLǐ” (扣指礼), which translates roughly to the “Knocking Finger Salute.”

In the world of competitive excellence, medals often symbolize triumph, endurance, or sheer talent.  But the inscription “泰而不骄” (tài ér bù jiao) on a US Challenge Championship medal carries a deeper, timeless message, one that transcends borders and speaks to the universal pursuit of character. 

I see you, I see how hard you’re trying while quietly convincing yourself it’s never quite good enough.  I see the way you hold your breath waiting to be “found out”, as if your accomplishments are accidents, and your struggles are proof of some fundamental lack.  But there’s what your fear won’t tell you:  this ache of inadequacy? It’s the growing pain of someone becoming more than they ever imagined.