Nothing kindles the pursuit of an ambitious goal or the undertaking of a daunting challenge like a motivational speech. And cinema has some of the most evocative examples.

Exhibit A, Goonies: After hitting what seems like a dead end in the hunt for legendary pirate One-Eyed Willy’s treasure, Mike Walsh delivers an impassioned speech, urging his friends to stay the course. “It’s our time; it’s our time, down here.”

Exhibit 2, Miracle: Before the US men’s hockey team takes the ice against the favored Soviet Union team in the 1980 Winter Olympics, head coach Herb Brooks injects his players with the swagger they need to win the game. “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

Exhibit D, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: When pirate king Elizabeth Swan and her briny brethren face almost certain defeat, Swan insists they can win through the sweat of their brows, strength of their backs, and courage of their hearts. “Hoist the colors!”

(A, 2, D was not a mistake, but an intentional reference to the “Three reasons” speech in Home Alone. We’re talkin’ movies, after all!)

The University of Rochester’s example is the call to be boundless.

Be boundless. What it means depends on who you ask, so we’re going to start asking people. In a new series called “Unbound,” we’ll give individuals across the University community the opportunity to define boundlessness as it relates to them while highlighting the ways in which they are contributing to or benefiting from the strategic plan.