Overcoming Resistance: Strategies for Defeating the Enemy of Creativity
Resistance is a force that keeps us from achieving our goals, dreams, and aspirations. It’s the voice in our head that tells us we’re not good enough, that we’ll never succeed, and that we should give up before we even start. In his book, “The War of Art,” author Steven Pressfield identifies resistance as the enemy of creativity and offers strategies for overcoming it.
Pressfield defines resistance as anything that keeps us from doing what we know we should be doing, whether it’s procrastination, fear, self-doubt, or any other obstacle that gets in the way of our progress. He argues that resistance is universal, affecting everyone from artists to entrepreneurs to athletes, and that the only way to overcome it is to acknowledge its existence and take action to defeat it.
One of the key strategies Pressfield offers for overcoming resistance is to turn pro. This means committing fully to your craft, treating it as a serious endeavor, and putting in the work necessary to succeed. Turning pro means showing up every day, even when you don’t feel like it, and putting in the time and effort required to make progress.
Another strategy for overcoming resistance is to focus on the process, rather than the outcome. Pressfield argues that when we focus too much on the end result, we can become overwhelmed and discouraged, which leads to resistance. Instead, he suggests breaking down the task at hand into small, manageable steps, and focusing on making progress each day.
Pressfield also encourages us to embrace failure as part of the process. He argues that failure is inevitable, and that it’s through our failures that we learn and grow. By reframing failure as a necessary step on the path to success, we can reduce resistance and stay motivated even when things don’t go as planned.
Thus, the key to overcoming resistance is to take action. As Pressfield writes, “The most important thing about mastery is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” By acknowledging the existence of resistance and taking action to defeat it, we can move closer to achieving our goals and living a more fulfilling life.