What I’ve Been Reading Lately…The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” ~ Steven Pressfield

Pressfield, 2002, p. iv).

the lowdown

We all have a secret love, a little spark, a something that brings us a special kind of joy. When we are doing that thing, it is in those moments we feel most alive. Many writers refer to it as “being in the flow” but it can be applied to any form of art or activity. When you are doing that thing you love, time truly flies by with no awareness of time having passed. But we are all fighting an inner battle against the enemy Steven Pressfield calls Resistance with a capital R. The Resistance is everything we allow to get in the way of doing that thing we love: fear of failure or success, procrastination, self-doubt, criticism. In The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield provides tools we can all use in the war we fight to defeat our inner Resistance to find a way to share our unique gifts with the world. If you have ever wanted to understand why it can be so hard to break through those inner roadblocks and want to know how it can feel to answer your true calling in life, this is the book for you!

the hook

Here are some of my favorite excerpts from the book to give you the vibe.

“Have you ever brought home a treadmill and let it gather dust in the attic? Ever quit a diet, a course of yoga, a meditation practice?…Late at night have you ever experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what Resistance is…It stunts us and makes us less than we are and were born to be…Look in your own heart. Unless I’m crazy, right now a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you. And unless I’m crazy, you’re no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think Resistance isn’t real? Resistance will bury you...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.” (Pressfield, 2002, p. iv-vii, 165)

buy or borrow

This one is definitely a BUY all the way. You are going to want a copy of this to refer to throughout the rest of your life. I’ve had it about eight months and have it read it all the way through twice and refer to it once a month to help me get back on track. This book is for anyone and everyone who wants to accomplish any kind of feat in their life, rather it be exercising every day or creating your first masterpiece. You can find it for about $15 on Amazon or at your local library for free. Enjoy!