In retrospect, all the periods of my life where I was refusing the call tended to be accompanied by some level of self-loathing. It is an admission to yourself that you are incapable of growth or transformation. To forever refuse the call, to give in to Resistance is a terrible state. If it meant nothing to us, there’d be no Resistance.” Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. Resistance is experienced as fear the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it. What’s essential, argues Pressfield, is that we don’t shy away from the Resistance, but lean into it.Īre you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. We don’t tell ourselves, “I’m never going to write my book.” Instead, we say, “I am going to write my book I’m just going to start tomorrow.”Įvery major life decision I’ve ever made was accompanied by a strong dose of The Resistance. Procrastination is the most common manifestation of Resistance because it’s the easiest to rationalize. It is not so scary at 40, but something else likely is: raising a family, changing careers or taking care of aging parents. Where that Resistance lies changes over time: it is a little scary to live by yourself when you are a teenager. The Resistance is normal, indeed omnipresent in basically everyone’s life. The Resistance is what causes the Hero to refuse the call. Or, expressed another way, any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower.

It shows up when you attempt “any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity. The Resistance is that voice in the back of your head that tells you that you aren’t good enough, that you don’t have enough time, or that it will never work. The War of Art is about a force that Pressfield calls Resistance. Second, Steve Pressfield has a book for you. I have done all of these things (multiple times)! If you are, first, I welcome you to the club. Have you ever brought home an exercise bike and let it gather dust in the basement? Ever started and quit a diet? Do you have a project 80% of the way done that is sitting on your hard drive not doing you any favors?

The war of art author