"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance." - Steven Pressfield
I read Steven Pressfield's 'The War of Art' at a time when I was in the height of my consumption binge. I've worked from home since last year so I had all the perks. The TV, Playstation, bed and all the creature comforts that I dreamed I could access by working from home.
Even though I had all the comforts, I felt miserable. All of a sudden I was losing sleep. I was getting lonely. And I would constantly supplement to be able to sleep. I wondered, what was this feeling inside me? I had this brooding feeling of dissatisfaction in my life.
Then I remembered, I promised myself that I would be productive during this pandemic. I would lose weight, start my blog, learn more, be more. But I never took action.
In one of Joe Rogan's podcasts, I heard him mention this book to overcome that "inner bitch" he was trying to conquer. And I wondered, I have the same bitch voice in me nagging. It was like an impostor living my life sabotaging my would-be masterpieces and by never bringing them into existence. I barely recognize my fat and lazy self in the mirror. So I got curious and read the book.
Pressfield's "The War of Art" is a revelation.
This book genuinely gave me the chills.
It made me aware of this thing he calls "resistance" that is present within us and how it manipulates us into submission.
At first I got uncomfortable reading it because it was like an attack on me and my ego. I was made aware of how I'd let my resistance control me for a long time. It made excuses, it broke promises, and it made me uncreative.
Three ideas stood out to me:
1. ‘Resistance’
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 that fear and we conquer Resistance.
A force within you that prevents you from creating.
2. Doing the work
Remember our rule of thumb: The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.
Doing the work means so much more than complying. It means that we must apply ourselves fully but bringing forth our creativity on each activity that we have. This is the anthesis to consumption.
3. Becoming a pro
The amateur plays for fun. The professional plays for keeps. To the amateur, the game is his avocation. To the pro it's his vocation.
Becoming pro is really becoming your vocation. The purpose that you have within you is meant to impact people on deeper level. This is the idea that your work, isn't simply a superfluous output but something that your soul expresses so that you can connect to another being.
You don't work to consume. You work to express your whole being into the universe.
"The War of Art" is a must read for anyone who's sick of self-sabotage. It is for artists, doctors, lawyers, writers or anyone putting in the work (or resisting).