What you could learn from ‘the War of Art’ by Steve Pressfield (2002, 165 pages)

Posted by Max on September 22, 2017 in Book reviews | Leave a comment

How do people start from a blank page and end up with a thousand page novel?

Steve, an accomplished author, suggests that the key lies in overcoming Resistance.  Steve describes resistance as the force which prevents you doing anything different, creative or great.

Throughout the book, Steven further defines resistance and how it conspires to prevent us from working on our dreams and goals.  Here are some of the ones I like the most.

Resistance is fuelled by fear.  Resistance has no strength of its own.  Every ounce of juice it possesses comes from us.  We feed it with power by our fear of it.  Master the fear and we conquer Resistance.

Resistance and being a star.  Grandiose fantasies are a symptom of Resistance.  They’re the sign of an amateur.  The professional has learned that success, like happiness, comes as a by-product of work.

Resistance can be beaten.  If Resistance could not be beaten, there would be no Fifth Symphony, no Romeo and Juliett, and no Golden Gate Bridge.  Defeating Resistance is like giving birth.  It seems absolutely impossible until you remember that women have been pulling it off successfully, with support and without, for fifty million years.

The War of Art is a great, quick read.  Read this book if you need a quick burst of inspiration, or if you are struggling to make progress.

You can find ‘the War of Art’ here on Amazon UK.