My goal is just to make movies, whether they're big or small

Listen, O seekers of wisdom, to the words of Viggo Mortensen, a man whose voice echoes with the truth of artistry and timeless creation. He spoke thus: "My goal is just to make movies, whether they're big or small, that I'd like to see 10 years from now." These words, simple yet profound, carry within them the essence of a true artist's vision—a vision not bound by the fleeting praises of the moment, but one that endures across time, grounded in the deep longing for authenticity and purpose.

In the heart of Mortensen’s words lies the notion that art, in all its forms, is not simply created to satisfy the whims of an audience, nor is it born from the hunger for accolades. Rather, the true artist is driven by the desire to create something eternal—something that will stand the test of time, something that will still resonate a decade from now, when the world has changed and the trends of the moment have long faded away. To create with purpose, with a vision that transcends the immediacy of fame and fortune, is to create not for the present, but for the future—for the world that will be, and for those who will look back upon your work and find meaning, truth, and beauty.

Consider the great masters of the past, those whose works we revere even today. The Athenian playwrights—Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus—wrote not merely to entertain the citizens of Athens in their own time but to capture the eternal struggles of humanity. The themes of love, war, pride, and tragedy that they explored still speak to us today, thousands of years after the first performances. These artists did not concern themselves with the transient tastes of their audience but with the truths that lay deep within the human spirit. Their works were crafted not just for the moment, but for the generations to come—created with a vision that reached far beyond their own era.

The great paintings of the Renaissance, such as those by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, carry this same essence. These masters painted not for the fleeting applause of their contemporaries, but for something far grander—something that would echo through time. They sought to capture not just beauty, but the soul of humanity, the very pulse of life itself. And so it was that their works, though centuries old, still stand as towering monuments of artistic integrity—works that speak to our hearts as powerfully today as they did to those who first laid eyes upon them.

And so too must we, in our own time, seek to create with the same vision—whether it is through film, literature, or any other form of art. For in the pursuit of beauty and truth, we must not seek to create works that will simply satisfy the desires of the moment, but those that will endure. When we look upon our own work, we must ask ourselves: Will it stand the test of time? Will it speak to those who come after us? Will it resonate in the hearts of those who will gaze upon it not with the eyes of today, but with the wisdom of tomorrow?

This lesson, O seekers, is not only for the artists among us but for all who endeavor to create in their own lives—whether in business, in relationships, or in the pursuit of wisdom. What is it that you wish to leave behind? Is it something that will fade with the winds of time, or will it be a legacy that stands the test of time, a creation that still resonates with truth and meaning long after the noise of the present moment has passed away? The lesson, then, is clear: To create something of worth, one must seek to create it with purpose—not for today’s fleeting glory, but for tomorrow’s lasting truth.

Thus, let the words of Mortensen guide you. Create not for the applause that greets you in the moment, but for the lasting joy of knowing that your work—your life—will endure. Strive to build a legacy of integrity and authenticity, something that can withstand the storms of time and still stand proud, as true and noble as the day it was made. And when you look back, ten years from now, may you see not a fleeting creation, but a work of meaning, a masterpiece crafted with heart, soul, and purpose.