Winning the War of Art: Overcoming Resistance with Steven Pressfield
The Marketing Secrets Show
Deep Dive
Why is recognizing resistance crucial for overcoming internal obstacles?
Recognizing resistance as an external force helps individuals understand that their failures are not due to personal inadequacies but are part of a universal struggle against a common enemy. This awareness allows them to develop strategies to protect themselves from its influence and persist in their creative or entrepreneurial endeavors.
What are some common lies that resistance uses to deter people from pursuing their dreams?
Resistance commonly uses lies such as procrastination (promising to start tomorrow), shadow calling (pursuing a safer, less risky version of the dream), seeking immediate pleasure over fulfillment, and full sedation (using drugs or alcohol to avoid facing the pain of unlived potential).
How does the concept of the 'unlived life' relate to resistance?
The 'unlived life' refers to the potential life one is called to live but is not currently living due to resistance. It includes aspirations such as becoming a writer, artist, or entrepreneur that are suppressed by various practical and psychological barriers. Resistance ensures that these unlived potentials remain unrealized.
What is the 'shadow calling' and how does it affect creative pursuits?
The 'shadow calling' is a safer, less risky version of one's true calling that resistance allows individuals to pursue instead of their actual dream. For example, a writer might settle for copywriting instead of writing novels. This allows resistance to keep individuals from fully realizing their potential by keeping them in a less threatening, lower-risk pursuit.
Why does significant success often attract greater resistance?
Significant success attracts greater resistance because the bigger the dream or aspiration, the larger the shadow of resistance it casts. This is akin to Newton's third law of motion, where every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The greater the dream, the more intense the resistance, indicating that the dream is substantial and worth pursuing.
How does turning pro help in overcoming resistance?
Turning pro involves shifting one's mindset from amateur to professional, which means showing up every day, playing hurt, and treating the pursuit as a real profession. Professionals do not fold under adversity; they persist. This mindset change helps in overcoming resistance by providing a mental framework that prioritizes consistency and resilience over immediate gratification.
What role does identity play in overcoming resistance according to Steven Pressfield?
Identity plays a crucial role as it helps individuals internalize their professional status. By identifying as a professional writer, entrepreneur, or artist, individuals are more likely to exhibit professional behaviors such as showing up daily, persisting through challenges, and treating their craft as a serious vocation, thereby overcoming resistance more effectively.
How prolific is Steven Pressfield in his writing, and what is his writing routine?
Steven Pressfield is highly prolific, having written over 23 books. He writes every day, treating it as a professional job. He believes in not stopping after completing a project and immediately moving on to the next, which helps maintain momentum and productivity.
What is 'The Daily Pressfield' and how does it help creators?
The Daily Pressfield is a 365-day guide that provides daily insights and strategies for overcoming resistance and staying committed to creative projects. It helps creators by addressing predictable resistance points and offering practical advice to keep them on track with their creative endeavors.
How do the audiences for Steven Pressfield's fiction and nonfiction differ?
Steven Pressfield's fiction and nonfiction audiences are largely distinct, with little crossover. Readers of his fiction are generally not interested in his nonfiction works on overcoming resistance, and vice versa. This separation is a significant frustration for Pressfield as he cannot leverage one audience to build interest in the other.
- Resistance is an unseen force that stops us from doing what we're meant to do.
- The first step to overcoming resistance is to understand and expose it as the enemy.
Shownotes Transcript