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The War of Art PDF
The War of Art PDF
An internal enemy prevents you from being creative. That enemy is Resistance.
“Most of us have two lives: The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” – Steven Pressfield
Everyone has the capacity to be creative and produce original work, but very few do. Resistance stops them.
Resistance is like the Terminator; it’s programmed to kill your creative spirit and prevent you from realizing your potential.
Resistance is the antagonist on your creative journey.
Resistance fills your heads with self‐doubt:
If you dream of writing a book, Resistance will convince you that you have nothing to say.
If you dream of being a creative freelancer, Resistance will convince you that you’re not talented enough.
If you dream of launching an innovative business, Resistance will tell you that you have too much to lose.
Resistance urges you to give into cravings and forget your creative aspirations:
Resistance urges you to pour an extra glass of wine and sleep‐in the next day.
Resistance urges you to order dessert, so you feel too lethargic to work on your craft afterward.
Resistance can convince you to do the most idiotic things to avoid doing creative work.
When author Robert McKee wanted to start a new book, Resistance convinced him to try on every piece of clothing in his closet
first.
How do we defeat Resistance?
Embrace it
“If you're feeling massive Resistance, the good news is, it means there's tremendous love there too. If you
didn't love the project that is terrifying you, you wouldn't feel anything. The opposite of love isn't hate; it's
indifference. The more resistance you experience, the more important your unmanifested art project or
enterprise is to you, and the more gratification you will feel when you finally do it.” – Steven Pressfield
When you feel lost, Resistance is your guiding compass. Listen to that little voice in your heart, seek out
projects that interest you, and then gauge the amount of Resistance you feel. The more Resistance, the better.
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with a long list of product ideas, pick the product you find most interesting and terrifying.
If you’re an actor and don’t know what part to take next, take the part that excites you and scares you.
Face it (especially on days when you don’t feel like it)
When Pressfield is working on a book, he faces his Resistance every day at 10:30 am, even on days when he
doesn’t feel like working.
Every day at 10:30 am he sits down to write and doesn’t stop until he’s exhausted or starts making typos
(which is usually 3‐4 hours later).
Pressfield doesn’t care how many pages he’s produced or if his writing is any good. “All that matters,” he says,
“is I put in my time, and hit it with all I've got. All that counts is that for this day, for this session, I have
overcome resistance.”
When you commit to sitting with your Resistance for a set amount of time every day, something magical happens; a divine power rewards
your efforts. It’s as though you’re given an angel for the day to show you the way forward.
“When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us… we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron
filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.” – Steven Pressfield
The experience goes from excruciating to enjoyable...but only for the remainder of the day. Resistance will be waiting for you tomorrow. If
you can find the courage to face Resistance tomorrow, and the next, and the next…without giving in to its demands, you will discover
what you were born to do.
“If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don't do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy
yourself. You hurt your children. You hurt me. You hurt the planet. Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of
the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it. Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you've got.” – Steven Pressfield
www.ProductivityGame.com