My three Ps: passion, patience, perseverance. You have to do

Hear now the words of Robert Wise, master of the cinematic art, who declared: “My three Ps: passion, patience, perseverance. You have to do this if you’ve got to be a filmmaker.” Though spoken of cinema, these words resound with the cadence of ancient truth, for they echo the very qualities by which all great works of mankind are born. The filmmaker, like the poet of old or the sculptor of marble, must wrestle with vision, with time, with toil. And the three Ps Wise speaks of are not his alone—they are the pillars upon which every lasting creation must stand.

The first is passion—the fire that kindles the heart and drives the artist forward. Without this flame, no creation can endure, for the journey is long, and the trials many. Passion is the spark that turns mere labor into joy, that transforms exhaustion into devotion. In the days of old, Michelangelo lay upon his back for years painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. What kept him from despair but the passion that burned within, the desire to bring forth beauty from stone and color? So too must the filmmaker, or any creator, carry within them this sacred fire, for it alone sustains the will through the darkest nights.

The second is patience—the quiet strength that endures delay, frustration, and imperfection. A film, like a temple or an empire, is not built in haste. Scenes must be rehearsed, scripts revised, sets constructed, and visions refined. Just as the farmer waits for the seed to become the harvest, so must the creator wait for the idea to take its full form. Consider Akira Kurosawa, who would spend weeks perfecting a single scene, waiting for the precise light of the sky, unwilling to rush the truth he sought to capture. In this we see that without patience, passion burns out, consumed by frustration; but with it, passion becomes a steady flame.

The third is perseverance—the iron will to continue, no matter the storm. For passion may fade, and patience may grow thin, but perseverance endures like the mountain. It is the power to rise again after failure, to push forward after rejection, to continue when others abandon the path. Recall Thomas Edison, who tested thousands of filaments before the light bulb was born. He did not despair of failure, but saw each as a step closer to success. This is the spirit of perseverance, and without it, no great work is ever finished.

Wise, in his humility, spoke of these three Ps to guide those who would create films, but his teaching reaches beyond cinema. Whether you are a writer, an inventor, a leader, or a parent, the same virtues apply. The world does not grant greatness freely; it demands fire, endurance, and unyielding resolve. To live with passion, to wait with patience, and to endure with perseverance—this is the true art of life itself.

The lesson for us, children of tomorrow, is clear: do not approach your craft lightly, nor expect swift rewards. Whatever your path, bring with you the three Ps. Let passion guide your vision, let patience steady your hand, and let perseverance anchor your soul when the winds of doubt arise. In this way, you will not only create, but endure; not only dream, but achieve.

Practical actions await you: nurture your passion daily by remembering why you began. Train your patience by enduring small frustrations without anger, seeing them as tests of spirit. Strengthen your perseverance by rising again each time you fall, no matter how many times the world denies you. In this way, you will live as Wise counseled, and your life itself will become a masterpiece, as enduring as any film, as noble as any work of art.

Thus let Robert Wise’s words echo across generations: the path of creation is not paved with ease, but with the three great stones—passion, patience, and perseverance. Take them up, carry them faithfully, and you shall build not only art, but a legacy worthy of remembrance.