If you work hard enough at it, you can grind even an iron rod down to a needle.

只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针

Awu’s father is a very strict man. He raised Awu and his sister in China for his entire life until Awu left for USC when he was 18. He says that this quote represents “the intense Chinese work ethic my father expected me to have”. He rarely had time to play with his friends, “even on the weekends”. Awu’s father repeated this quote in times when Awu was stressed by school, to discipline and motivate him.