Weekly Inspiration ~ 7.9.23
Author Spotlight: Steven Pressfield
“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul.”
I had been slow on reading the past few weeks and then, out of nowhere, seemingly devoured Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art in a matter of days. This book reminds me a lot of many of the same themes that Rick Ruben shares in his book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, but I was surprised to see that Pressfield’s book was published back in 2002. Both books cover themes around art, creative expression, and the universal human experience of learning to uncover who we already are and live from that place. Pressfield writes with such simplicity and an honest candor that is refreshing—reminiscent of a conversation with a good friend, or mentor. The main premise of the book focuses on the concept of Resistance, this force working against all of us, that keeps us from fulfilling our soul’s purpose in this life. He writes about how to identify Resistance, the many forms it takes, and how to overcome it, to live and create from a place of truth and authenticity to Self.
What instantly connected with me was realizing that the emotions I’ve been brushing up against lately—unhappiness, boredom, restlessness, and dissatisfaction, are, at the root, Resistance. I had been taking those emotions as a signal that I’m not on Path but seeing them through the lens of Resistance has reframed my view on what I feel called to. It’s reminded me that I can meaningfully move towards those things right now, tomorrow, and the next day, without needing to completely redesign my life. I simply need to start and then continue to put in the work.
If you haven’t read The War of Art I could not more highly recommend it. This book isn’t just for the artist or creative, it highlights universal aspects of the human condition. The journey of uncovering your soul’s purpose and fighting against Resistance to bring into this world, something only you were meant to create.
