Coubertin believed that true excellence came not from narrow specialization, but from cultivating a diverse range of abilities. In his view, a débrouillard was someone prepared for the "struggle of life," capable of thriving in any circumstance through resourcefulness and a well-rounded skill set.  This philosophy materialized in the Modern Pentathlon, first introduced at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

La Philosophie du Débrouillard

Speech delivered in the great amphitheater of the Sorbonne on June 30, 1907 at the party organized by the Société des Sports Populaires for the distribution of the Diplôme des Débrouillards to the winners of 1907.

Pierre de Coubertin, the visionary who revived the Olympic Games, embarked on another significant yet less-known venture within a decade of establishing the Olympic Movement: the Débrouillard Movement.  This movement focused on developing well-rounded athletic completeness and intellectual versatility, qualities inherent to term “débrouillard.”  While the Olympics emphasized specialized athletic events, Coubertin firmly believed that the Débrouillard approach to life was crucial for both individual growth and societal progress.