Navigating Ambition and Creativity

This chapter features a candid discussion about the intersection of creativity, ambition, and personal struggle. The speakers share their transformative journeys, highlighting how dreams and past experiences shape their desires and confront resistance. The conversation also addresses mental health complexities, providing insights into how denial and creativity can serve as coping mechanisms in challenging times.

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Brought to you by MasterClass online video lessons taught by 180+ of the world’s best, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating.

Steven Pressfield (@SPressfield) was 52 years old before his first novel was published. Since then, he has written the million-sellers Gates of Fire and The War of Art, as well as The Legend of Bagger Vance, A Man at Arms, and many others. His newest book, the memoir Govt Cheese, is about those years before that first publication. It is coming out on December 30th, and you can pre-order signed copies here.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

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This episode is also brought to you by MasterClass! With MasterClass, you can learn from the world’s best minds—anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. With more than 180 classes from a range of world-class instructors, that thing you’ve always wanted to do is closer than you think.

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[05:51] Ambition in a halfway house.

[09:30] Evanescent dreams.

[10:37] Helpful self-delusions.

[13:28] What’s in a name?

[19:18] Trimming fiction’s fat beyond the first draft.

[22:06] The Paul Rink method of maintaining Blitzkrieg momentum.

[25:48] Other pearls of Paul Rink perspicacity.

[28:08] A transition from aspiring fiction writer to prolific author.

[32:05] A hint from Hemingway.

[33:15] Positive self-delusion.

[35:26] Writing fiction isn’t self-indulgence. It’s an obligation.

[40:44] How does writing fiction fit into my life? Is it a top priority?