My ambition is peace and perfection.

Hear the words of the actor DeForest Kelley, known for his steady presence and the wisdom he embodied both on screen and in life: “My ambition is peace and perfection. These words, though simple, carry the weight of timeless yearning. For they express not the hunger for fame or riches, nor the thirst for power, but the desire for two treasures that humankind has pursued across the ages—peace, which soothes the soul and unites the world, and perfection, which uplifts the spirit and draws humanity ever upward.

The pursuit of peace is as old as civilization itself. Kings and warriors have sought it, though often through conquest. Yet true peace is not born of domination, but of understanding and reconciliation. Kelley’s ambition reflects this higher truth: that in the quiet balance of life, where enmity is dissolved and harmony prevails, there is a nobility greater than victory. It is the ambition of one who sees beyond conflict, and who seeks instead the still waters of unity.

And what of perfection? It is not the cold, unreachable ideal of flawless form, but the deeper striving to refine one’s self, one’s craft, and one’s spirit. In the traditions of the East, the samurai trained endlessly not to achieve mere skill, but to reach a state where action flowed effortlessly, like water. In the West, the philosophers spoke of virtue as the highest form of human perfection. So too does Kelley’s ambition remind us: to seek perfection is not to demand the impossible, but to aim one’s life toward constant growth, constant refinement, constant light.

Consider the tale of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. Surrounded by war and betrayal, he longed not for further conquest but for peace within himself and his empire. He sought perfection not in marble statues or worldly glory, but in the shaping of his character—discipline, justice, wisdom. His meditations, written in the quiet of his tent, still speak today, showing that true ambition lies not in ruling others, but in ruling oneself.

DeForest Kelley, who portrayed Dr. McCoy in Star Trek, embodied these ideals in art as well as in life. For the world of Star Trek itself was a vision of humanity rising above war, hunger, and prejudice, striving toward a future of discovery, unity, and constant betterment. His words, then, are not only personal but symbolic—his ambition mirrors the dream of a future where humankind embraces peace as its way of life and perfection as its guiding star.

O children of tomorrow, learn from this teaching. Let your ambition not be consumed by shallow prizes. Seek peace—within your heart, within your family, within your world. Strive also for perfection—not the brittle perfection of appearances, but the living perfection of growth, of learning, of becoming more than you were yesterday. For in this balance lies the true art of living.

Thus, the words of DeForest Kelley shine as a beacon: ambition is not the hunger for conquest, but the yearning for wholeness. Pursue peace, and you will heal divisions. Pursue perfection, and you will elevate your spirit. Together, these two form the noblest of ambitions, guiding humanity toward its highest destiny.