I could not understand how it could move under its own power.

The words of Soichiro Honda—“I could not understand how it could move under its own power. And when it had driven past me, without even thinking why I found myself chasing it down the road, as hard as I could run.”—are the cry of a soul awakened by wonder. This is not merely the memory of a boy startled by the machine, but the revelation of a heart stirred by the unknown, compelled to follow. In that moment of astonishment, Honda was seized by the ancient fire that drives humankind: the desire to pursue what cannot yet be explained, to chase mystery until it becomes knowledge.

The image of the young Honda, running with all his strength after the motorcar, is a parable of curiosity transformed into destiny. For he did not run to possess the machine, nor to boast of its power, but because the sight of it moved his very spirit. This is the essence of discovery—when one’s feet move before thought, when desire runs ahead of reason. In this unthinking pursuit lies the seed of invention, the origin of all revolutions.

Consider the tale of Archimedes, who, upon discovering the principle of buoyancy, leapt from his bath and ran naked through the streets of Syracuse, crying “Eureka!” Like Honda’s chase, Archimedes’ flight was not born of calculation, but of pure, unrestrained passion for truth. Great works are rarely born in calm thought; they are born in moments where the heart overtakes the mind, where the body itself rushes toward the vision of possibility.

The quote also speaks of the innocence of beginnings. At that time, Honda did not yet know he would forge engines that would thunder across roads and seas. He was simply a boy, caught in awe, moved by the mystery of movement itself. Yet from that first chase down the road, a lifetime of creation was set in motion. Just as rivers begin with a trickle of water, so too do destinies begin with a single act of unexplainable pursuit.

To future generations, this memory is a lesson: never ignore the moment when your soul leaps forward without reason. These moments are the whispers of destiny, calling you to chase with all your strength. For in such pursuits, in the reckless run after the unknown, you will find the path that leads to greatness. And like Honda, you may one day look back and see that your entire journey began with nothing more than the uncontainable need to chase the impossible.