Book review: The War of Art

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

If you have a dream, a passion, or a goal in life you are hoping to achieve but have trouble getting yourself on the right track, BUY THIS BOOK NOW!  This is by far one of the most amazing books I have EVER read, and I can guarantee you that I will read it again and again.

Beware Resistance!

In War of Art, Steven Pressfield speaks to the passion within all of us, and explains how resistance keeps us from reaching our true potential.  While the book may come across at first as a directory on how to avoid writers block soley for those in the fine arts, this is truly a guide book for EVERYONE on how to live a more present, focused and productive life.  Pressfield bares his soul about how his own resistance almost stopped him from writing this amazing book, telling him that it wasn’t in his wheelhouse, what right did he have to tell people how to reach THEIR dreams, and he should stick to fiction works like The Legend of Bagger Vance, where he had already found success.

I for one am SO glad that he was able to break through his resistance to give us this magnificent gift of a book.  It has fundamentally changed the way I look at my life, the way I go after the things I am passionate about, and the way I avoid that which is toxic and destructive and seeks to pull me from my path to happiness.

Pressfield explains that our inner genius is where the creation comes from, our soul. Our resistance (also known as the ego) does not want us to succeed or move outside our comfort zone, so it distracts us.  This resistance will tell you anything to distract you and always lies to get the deal.  He exposes self-defeating behavior, procrastination and instant gratification as major destroyers of art and passion.  The beauty of this is that the solution is simple, STOP AND JUST DO THE WORK.

One of the greatest tools I took away from this book is using resistance as a compass. Whatever we don’t want to do, that’s what we must do. This same principal applies to fear and self doubt.

Pressfield reminds us that other people’s resistance can interfere with our genius if we let it. This doesn’t mean we abandon people, this means we need continue to grow, and become a source of inspiration and motivation to allow them to move past their resistance.

He reminds us that to be truly happy, it is not accolades, approval or certifications we should seek.  It is the WORK itself that brings the joy.

Even though this is a rather short book and an easy read, it may be a hard book for some people to get through.  It has a strong tendency to make you face yourself, to question the path you’re on, and perhaps encourage radical change you have been contemplating for a long time but have been to afraid to jump.  But as Pressfield says, fear won’t leave you until you act. You can’t wait to rid yourself of it. You have to move forward in spite of it, only when you begin will the fear recede.

I encourage you to push through the fear and see what you find waiting for you on the other side.

Have you read The War of Art?  What changes did it inspire in you?

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