The War of Art

As I read this book, I felt like the author was looking into my soul. I loved the short, punchy observations and challenges to anyone seeking to share their creativity. The Resistance is a force universal to everyone who is trying to share a little piece of themselves, and I love the way that it is broken down in this book.

I realized that when I could see what was holding me back from expressing myself, I was able to find strategies to mitigate that fear. This book was instrumental in my ability to express myself as an author and… show more.

This slim book is a game changer. I have had my copy of Stephen Pressfield's classic for well over a decade. This book has helped me multiple times to break through my inner resistance, and it's proven to be a go-to resource for me when I feel inspired to create something big and new and then find I get bogged down with self-doubt and procrastination.

Pressfield calls it "resistance," and it's much more common than most realize. In this book, he shares his ups and down cycles of creative endeavors. He gives guidance on how to break through the inevitable… show more.

Upon reading the first paragraph, I knew I’d found a friend, a very good friend. The author perfectly describes the process of achieving every good goal I’ve ever set: It’s always war. 

Whether writing a new book, exercising, or returning to school, the voices shouting “You can’t do it!” can be deafening. I was incredibly reassured to read about the reality of a resistance which aims to prevent me from accomplishing what I want to do. I understood I wasn’t weird. Or alone. This is “normal.”

I’ve recommended this book to countless people.

I’m a world-class procrastinator. Some might say I’m high-functioning, in the sense that I manage to accomplish quite a lot of work, just not always on the projects I say are important to me.

Pressfield’s book has become a classic for those of us who work in creative fields. I’d heard about it for years, but never took the leap until recently. It’s very powerful, a little like having a very tough coach breathing down your neck, pushing you to do better.

Pressfield boils the creative person’s problem down to one thing—resistance—which I now regard as a dark force within… show more.

Shifting from one career to another offers no guarantee of success in the new venture. This is especially true for those of us answering a creative vocation.

The War of Art acknowledges the thousand difficulties any artist faces when trying to render ideas into a livelihood, and reduces them to a singularity: Resistance. Pressfield takes no prisoners, and offers no sympathy for the creative wannabe who can’t find time to work, or edit, or refine, or take whatever next step is required to continue moving forward.

He teaches the reader how to identify a blockage and eliminate it, again and… show more.

The War of Art is an essential book for any creative person who feels blocked, stuck, gets off track, or is held back by self-doubt.

Pressfield’s identification of the many faces of Resistance, along with his distinction between the professional and the amateur, helped me fend off an inner critic that had hindered me for decades, allowing me to finish four books (and counting) I had previously abandoned.

Pressfield hammers home this crucial point: “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every… show more.

The War of Art is one of those ‘If you were on a desert island and could only bring one book with you’ kind of books.

I have read it 5-6 times and the words in it inspired me and kept me on the path to finish both of the books I’ve written. Straight-forward, short chapters… probably my favorite book of all-time. Even if you’re not a writer, there’s a good chance Pressfield’s words will resonate with you.

Ostensibly about art and breaking through creative blocks, this book is actually about breaking through all inner blocks.

Whenever I find myself indulging in “lack thinking,” and “no one wants this” and “I’m not good enough”… whenever I feel deep longing to try something new or let my own wisdom shine but the resistance to doing so is huge… I pull this book out.

Pressfield has the ability to dismantle our inner resistance in a heartbeat.

Steven Pressfield is a national treasure.

In this highly readable, concise book, the acclaimed author and screenwriter shares his experience in overcoming the psychological snares that lay in wait for any creative endeavor.

He identifies and takes aim at “The Resistance,” the inner voice of discouragement and distraction that is familiar to everyone aiming for artistic expression. 

For me, as an artist, there is no greater feeling than bringing a vision into reality and welcoming the formless into form. Having to wrestle with the angels of creativity and the demons of resistance is exhausting, soul-enlivening work. Steven Pressfield brilliantly describes and guides readers through this process in his seminal work The War of Art. Steven invites us to square our shoulders towards all that we’ve been resisting, as a means of facing the life we know we’re capable of and called to live. The book is divided into three parts, or books within the book: Book… show more.