The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
Creativity Book Reviews
The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
What’s in it
Remember that children’s book? You can’t get OVER it, you can’t get AROUND it, you’ve got to go THROUGH it!
I was reminded of that when I was reading this book.
Steven Pressfield is an author. A successful one. But not before he had to overcome (battle, go to war with) Resistance. Yes, capital R.
What Steven Pressfield is saying in this book is that Resistance is a constant. It’s insidious. It’s always there. It talks with the most reasonable-sounding excuses. It’s what you WILL encounter when you want to do something that’s meaningful to you.
Want to set up your own business? Write a book? Start a charity? Move into a role where you can make a real difference to the world?
Yep, it’s there.
The book is divided up into three books:
Book one - Talks about Resistance, in all its guises.
Book two - You’ll be relieved to learn that there is a way of moving beyond Resistance. No, not by going around it, or shying away from it but by showing up. Be a professional.
Book three - Talks about what’s beyond. It gives his explanation of what Resistance IS. It talks about our brain and what role our Ego plays in all of this Resistance stuff. And how we’re all connected.
Why I like it
The book is widely regarded as a classic in the Creativity field. And yes, that was the reason I picked it up in the first place.
But the reason I liked it?
Because it so clearly describes the ‘enemy’ we’re up against, how EVERYONE - no matter how rich and famous - comes up against Resistance and it gives us hope and guidelines to stick with it.
Because - let’s face it - your dreams are IMPORTANT. What you want, what sets your heart alight, MATTERS.
Book Club time!
The War of Art was the subject of Book Club in June 2024.
You can watch the video here:
Book Club - with Christine Roseann, musician and creativity coach
