The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Every creative person has a secret enemy that lives inside them, working tirelessly to sabotage their dreams. Steven Pressfield calls this invisible force "Resistance," and in The War of Art, he exposes its many disguises: procrastination, self-doubt, fear, and perfectionism.
First published in 2002, this book has sold over a million copies globally and been translated into multiple languages. Pressfield, the bestselling author of Gates of Fire and The Legend of Bagger Vance, draws from his own seventeen-year struggle to earn his first writing paycheck. He knows firsthand what it takes to defeat the internal forces that keep us from our life's work.
The book is divided into three powerful sections. Book One defines the enemy and reveals how Resistance operates. Book Two shows you how to combat Resistance by "turning pro," adopting the mindset and habits of a professional creator. Book Three explores the higher realms of inspiration that become accessible when you commit to doing the work.
This is not gentle encouragement. Think of it as tough love for yourself. Whether you're a writer who doesn't write, a painter who doesn't paint, or an entrepreneur who never starts, Pressfield delivers a battle plan for conquering your internal foe.
Artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and anyone facing creative barriers will find a practical, no-nonsense guide to breaking through. The warrior and the artist live by the same code: the battle must be fought anew every day.
Interesting Facts
Born From Late-Night Conversations: Pressfield got tired of staying up until 2 a.m. coaching friends who said they had a book in them. He decided to just write his advice down so he could hand people a book instead of repeating himself.
The Title Wasn't His Idea: Pressfield originally wanted to call the book "The Writer's Life." His editor Shawn Coyne came up with the clever wordplay title "The War of Art" when publishing it in 2002.
A Million Copies Sold: The book has sold over a million copies globally and been translated into multiple languages. It spent 14 straight years in Amazon's top five books on creativity.
Three Books in One: The structure is brilliantly simple. Book One defines the enemy called Resistance. Book Two provides the battle plan. Book Three offers a vision of victory through higher inspiration.
Robert McKee Wrote the Foreword: The legendary screenwriting teacher admits he holds "Olympic records for procrastination." He wrote the foreword against a deadline, proving Pressfield's point perfectly.
Resistance Gets a Capital R: Pressfield personifies the enemy of creativity as "Resistance" with a capital letter. He connects it to what Freud called the Death Wish, that destructive force inside human nature.
Written for Everyone, Not Just Writers: Though originally aimed at writers, the book has been embraced by entrepreneurs, dancers, painters, filmmakers, and military service members around the world.
Pressfield Lived His Own Struggle: He worked as a bartender, tractor-trailer driver, fruit picker, and mental hospital attendant. He was even homeless and living out of his car while trying to become a writer.
Marine Corps Mindset: Pressfield served as an infantryman in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966. His military background infuses the book with warrior language about battling inner foes daily.
Fear Means You're Onto Something: One of the book's most beloved ideas is that fear points toward important work. The more scared you are of a calling, the more certain you can be that you must pursue it.
The Professional vs. Amateur Divide: Pressfield argues that amateurs wait for inspiration while professionals show up every single day. He quotes Somerset Maugham saying inspiration strikes him "every morning at nine o'clock sharp."
Quotes
"The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying." - Steven Pressfield
"The artist cannot look to others to validate his efforts or his calling." - Steven Pressfield
"If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance." - Steven Pressfield
"The battle is inside our own heads. We cannot let external criticism, even if it stings, prevent us from doing our work." - Steven Pressfield
"Resistance is always lying and always full of shit." - Steven Pressfield
"There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second we can turn the tables on Resistance." - Steven Pressfield
"The most pernicious aspect of procrastination is that it can become a habit. We don't just put off our lives today; we put them off till our deathbed." - Steven Pressfield
"When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves." - Steven Pressfield
"The Principle of Priority states you must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important, and you must do what's important first." - Steven Pressfield
"If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don't do it, you not only hurt yourself, you hurt the planet." - Steven Pressfield
"Fear doesn't go away. The warrior and the artist live by the same code of necessity, which dictates that the battle must be fought anew every day." - Steven Pressfield
"The professional dedicates himself to mastering technique not because he believes technique is a substitute for inspiration but because he wants to be in possession of the full arsenal of skills when inspiration does come." - Steven Pressfield
"We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause." - Steven Pressfield
"The artist committing himself to his calling has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not. He will be dining for the duration on a diet of isolation, rejection, self-doubt, despair, ridicule, contempt, and humiliation." - Steven Pressfield
"Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it." - Steven Pressfield
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