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How to Overcome Inner Resistance | Steven Pressfield

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Oct 20, 2025

Guest

Steven Pressfield

This conversation features Steven Pressfield, an acclaimed author known for 'The War of Art,' who specializes in overcoming creative obstacles. He discusses the concept of 'resistance' as a self-sabotaging force that hinders our potential. Steven shares effective strategies like his morning physical regimen to build discipline and emphasizes the importance of short, intense writing sessions. He advocates for embracing projects that provoke fear and highlights the danger of perfectionism. Finally, he reflects on the balance between personal sacrifice and pursuing one's calling.

02:15:17

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Episode notes

00:00 / 00:00

Adopt A Professional Mindset

Show up and work like a professional every day regardless of feelings or results.
Do the work even when you don't feel like it and accept that success or failure aren't personal.

00:00 / 00:00

Resistance Reveals Importance

The projects that matter most to your soul will provoke the strongest internal resistance.
Treat fear as a signal that the work is important and worth doing despite resistance.

00:00 / 00:00

Build Momentum With Early 'Little Successes'

Use morning physical effort as a ‘little success’ to build momentum for creative work.
Do a hard task first so subsequent creative work feels easier by comparison.

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Defining Resistance and the Professional Mindset

03:40 • 4min

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Military Training's Influence on Creativity

07:32 • 2min

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Morning Physical Regimen as Rehearsal

09:19 • 4min

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Capturing Ideas from Unfocused Moments

Invocation of the Muse and Sources of Ideas

17:29 • 2min

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Daily Writing Rituals and Early Focus

19:58 • 2min

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Session Structure: Short, Intense Bouts

22:15 • 3min

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Silencing the Inner Critic with Multiple Drafts

24:52 • 2min

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How Focus Shortens with Experience

27:10 • 5min

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Squeezing Creativity into Busy Lives

31:40 • 2min

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Consistency, Scheduling, and Minimizing Devices

33:48 • 58sec

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Writing with the Reader in Mind

34:46 • 3min

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From Advertising to Storytelling Lessons

37:28 • 1min

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The Project That Matters Is the One You Fear

38:33 • 1min

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Identifying Your Calling and Overcoming Doubt

39:54 • 5min

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External Resistance: Family and Close Relationships

44:30 • 9min

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Anger, Numbing, and Modern Distractions

53:05 • 2min

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The Internet as a Resistance Engine

54:50 • 6min

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Mentors, Work Ethic, and Finishing Things

01:01:01 • 5min

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Perfectionism Versus Shipping Work

01:05:43 • 4min

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Mortality, Drive, and Creative Urgency

01:09:26 • 5min

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Competition, Friction, and Productive Rivalry

01:14:03 • 7min

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Handling Public Failure and Criticism

01:20:54 • 3min

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Why External Validation Is Dangerous

01:23:27 • 9min

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The Importance of Titles and Slow-Burn Success

Personal Sacrifice and the Cost of Commitment

01:34:54 • 8min

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Social Media Use and Creator Directness

01:42:47 • 1min

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Turning Pro: Flipping the Amateur Switch

01:43:54 • 4min

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Taking Yourself Seriously and Its Social Cost

01:48:18 • 5min

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Choosing Higher-Standard Communities

01:53:06 • 3min

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Practical Discipline Meets Spiritual Channeling

Workspace Comfort and Tolerance for Discomfort

02:04:07 • 3min

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Do the Work

Steven Pressfield

My guest is Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and expert in how to overcome the inner force of "resistance"—the self-sabotaging tendency to procrastinate on your life's most important work that keeps you from realizing your professional and creative potential. Steven shares actionable tools for defeating inner resistance that work. His approach is concrete, not based on slogans or inspirational messages. As the author of numerous best-selling books and screenplays, Steven's routines for cultivating discipline and focus, including his physical training regimen (he is incredibly mentally and physically vigorous at 82), are applicable by anyone. He gives you effective practical strategies for how to structure your day, overcome procrastination and self-doubt and do your best, most meaningful work.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Steven Pressfield

(00:04:55) Ideas & Resistance, Tree & Shadow Analogy

(00:08:45) Military, Pushing Through Resistance, War of Art