Believe in the Pursuit of Excellence

Chariots of Fire is one of my favorite movies for a variety of reasons. It doesn’t get much better than a movie all about running, acted out by men with attractive British accents and well-fitted herringbone waistcoats. But despite all these very impressive components, Chariots of Fire has earned a place among my most cherished tales for its very deep and personal meaning.

There is one particularly striking scene where Harold Abrahams, a Jewish and particularly intense sprinter, is cornered by the presidents of his Cambridge college and asked to not seek professional coaching for his running.

The hot-headed and determined Abrahams elegantly stands up and with biting grace retorts “Gentleman….I believe in the pursuit of excellence, and I’ll take the future with me”.




What a phenomenal phrase! Yes, it’s rash. Yes, it’s cocky. However, it reveals an inner motivation and fervent desire to be better, even excellent.



Maybe I feel such a connection to this story and these characters because I LOVE to run. I love the gentle pull of the ligaments in my legs when I hit a fast and familiar rhythm, the subtle expansion of my ribcage as my lungs fill up with air. It is my secret belief that one of the best ways to experience a place is to go for a long and exhausting run. Within the ‘favorite memories’ file of my brain are detailed images of running parallel the Charles River, through Central Park, up the Provo Canyon, and under the shadow of the Roman Colosseum.

 

Every time I watch Abrahams deliver that brash and powerful line, it rings true to me. I want to be a believer in the pursuit of excellence.

 

I don’t need to demand perfection or reject the idea of failure to believe in the pursuit of excellence. Abrahams felt driven to win an olympic medal, I am seeking betterment. It is a pursuit, a process, and an undiminished desire to seek refinement.

 

I have recently decided I want to heat up this pursuit.

 

I want to pursue being more aware of the needs of others around me and become a better listener -even when I think I have important things to say.

 

I want to pursue tackling terrifying statistical programs and take on more projects that will work on making skills I’m uncomfortable with more familiar.

 

I want to pursue loving more fiercely.

 

I want to pursue a new level of devotion in my faith.

 

I want to buy another bag of Swedish Fish and spend two more hours in the library.



I want to pursue striving for, and defining, balance in my life.

 

I want to pursue becoming more refined; becoming more familiar with classic art, music, and literature.

 

I want to pursue making time for a few chapters of C.S. Lewis, Tolstoy, and Victor Hugo.

 

I want to pursue overcoming my fear of complicated recipes.

 

I want to shamelessly dance down the sidewalk during nighttime runs more often.



I aim to pursue.

 

I believe every human being has it in them to pursue excellence, and maybe…

 

….just maybe….

 

We’ll take the future with us.