The War of Art: Steven Pressfield

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Mar 1, 2021

In this engaging conversation, author Steven Pressfield shares his insights on overcoming 'Resistance,' the invisible force that hinders creativity. With over 20 works to his name, he discusses the discipline required to pursue a creative life and the transformative power of facing fears. They explore the importance of structure in creativity, the quest for authenticity, and his latest novel, set in the ancient world. Join them as they navigate self-doubt and personal growth through artistic expression.

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INSIGHT

Defining Resistance

Resistance is a negative force of self-sabotage that hinders progress.
It manifests as a universal, internal voice discouraging creative endeavors.

INSIGHT

Disassociating from Resistance

The internal voice of resistance is often mistaken for one's own thoughts.
Recognizing it as an external force is key to overcoming it.

ANECDOTE

Rich Roll's Introduction to Pressfield's Work

Rich Roll discovered Steven Pressfield's The War of Art after rehab.
The book, along with The Artist's Way, helped him connect with his creativity.

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Turning pro

tap your inner power and create your life's work

Steven Pressfield

In 'Turning Pro,' Steven Pressfield provides a practical and inspirational guide for entrepreneurs and creatives to shift from an amateur mindset to a professional one. The book is divided into three parts: the first describes the addictive nature of the amateur, the second paints a vision of what it means to be a pro, and the third focuses on cultivating professionalism. Pressfield emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear, self-doubt, and procrastination, and adopting habits such as discipline, regularity, and a constant striving for excellence. He also discusses the concept of 'shadow careers' and the need to align one's work with their true calling for authentic fulfillment.

A Man at Arms

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Steven Pressfield

Gates of fire

Steven Pressfield

Gates of Fire tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae through the eyes of Xeones, a wounded Greek soldier who recounts his life and the events leading up to the battle. The novel explores Spartan culture, the rigorous training regimen known as the *agoge*, and the heroic stand of the Spartans against the overwhelming forces of the Persian Empire. The story is framed as a series of interviews between Xeones and members of the Persian court, detailing the battle and its aftermath, as well as the personal and philosophical aspects of Spartan warfare and culture[1][3][5].

The War of Art

Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Steven Pressfield

In 'The War of Art', Steven Pressfield identifies the internal force of 'Resistance' that hinders creative endeavors. The book is divided into three sections: 'Resistance: Defining the Enemy', 'Combating Resistance: Turning Pro', and a final section that discusses the role of the muses and the battle between the Self and the Ego. Pressfield provides practical advice on recognizing and overcoming resistance, emphasizing the importance of professionalism, discipline, and continuous work in achieving creative success.

The sun also rises

Ernest Hemingway

Originally published in 1926, 'The Sun Also Rises' is Ernest Hemingway’s first novel and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style. The novel follows a group of young American and British expatriates as they wander through Europe in the mid-1920s, capturing the moods, feelings, and attitudes of the cynical and disillusioned Lost Generation. The story centers around Jake Barnes, a World War I veteran and journalist, and Lady Brett Ashley, as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain. The novel portrays an age of moral bankruptcy, spiritual dissolution, unrealized love, and vanishing illusions, reflecting the existential disillusionment characteristic of the Lost Generation[2][3][4].

The Legend of Bagger Vance

Steven Pressfield

In the Depression year of 1931, on the golf links at Krewe Island off Savannah's windswept shore, golf legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen meet for a mesmerizing thirty-six-hole showdown. They are joined by a local unsung opponent, the troubled war hero Rannulph Junah, who is guided by his caddie and mentor, the mysterious and charismatic Bagger Vance. Vance holds the secret of the Authentic Swing and his mysterious powers guide the play, leaving a lasting imprint on the lives he touches. The story is a sports fable that reveals that, in life as well as golf, the real battle is not with outside opponents but with oneself.

The artist's way

a spiritual path to higher creativity

Ada Arbós Bo

Julia Cameron

This book presents a comprehensive method for artists to recover their creativity from various blocks such as limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, and other inhibiting forces. It is designed to help individuals discover and develop their artistic potential, whether as writers, painters, poets, or musicians. The book emphasizes the connection between creativity and spirituality, providing step-by-step exercises to nurture creative expression as a consistent part of daily life.

Do the Work

Steven Pressfield

We all experience it. That invisible, self-sabotaging force that lives between you and your most expressed self. Today’s guest calls it ‘Resistance’. He’s cracked how to overcome it—and the process required to birth your best work.

Meet author Steven Pressfield—a man who has profoundly impacted my life and how I pursue creative expression.

A former Marine, Duke graduate, and journeyman of countless jobs, Steven had been writing in obscurity for three decades before his first published novel became a smash success. Molded on archetypes lifted from the Bhagavad Gita, The Legend of Bagger Vance made it’s way all the way to the big screen, starring Matt Damon and Will Smith.

Now revered for his creative prolificacy, Steven has 20 books to his name, including the military novels Tides of War and Gates of Fire, currently on the curriculum at the Naval War College and West Point.

More relevant to today’s discourse, Steven has authored some of the most impactful books ever written on the fundamentals of pursuing a creative life. Collectively, The War of Art, Do The Work, and Turning Pro are books I’ve read and make a point to re-read annually. Practical treatises on the human relationship with authentic expression, they provide a disciplined approach to birth the work we were born to create.

Steven’s latest offering, A Man At Arms, is a historical novel about the Roman Empire, a reluctant hero, and the rise of Christianity in First Century Jerusalem. Cinematic in it’s sweep, think Gladiator meets The Road Warrior.

A personal hero, meeting Steven has always been a dream. Today he shares his story. And it’s everything I hoped it would be.

Steven will tell you that creativity isn’t about talent. It’s about discipline. But it’s also about reverence for the mystical—courting The Muse to connect with that inimitable force that breathes beyond our conscious awareness.

However, The Muse only shows up when you respect the grind as sacred.

An excavation of this process, this conversation is an absolute masterclass on all things creativity, served up with a healthy dose of perseverance, persistence, patience, and the heavy lifting required to eliminate distraction and make manifest the dormant, authentic voice within.

It’s also about dispelling the myth that great art is the purview of the chosen few. Or that it comes easy to those so touched.

We all have something worthy to say. We can all benefit from learning how to better express our truth.

“Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”

The spirit of this exchange is to empower this ideal.

FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll584

YouTube: bit.ly/stevenpressfield584

Final note: Some unfortunate construction noise next door periodically invades the audio dojo. Apologies for the distraction.

I hold Steven and his work in the highest regard. My hope is that this conversation will leave you feeling the same.

Peace + Plants,

Rich