Have you encountered periods of breakthrough that facilitate your creativity and growth? Have you experienced any moments of resistance that keep you from doing or being your best?
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.
According to Steven Pressfield, we live two lives – the life we live and the unlived life within us. Between these two lives is something known as resistance, meaning that which blocks us from our creative self. (From the Introduction)
In this book, Pressfield provides strategies for breaking through the resistance to free our inner creative being.
What is Resistance?
Resistance is a negative energy field, a repelling force. Pressfield calls resistance, “the enemy within.” (p. 7-8) Resistance happens when we defeat ourselves, verbally beat ourselves up, or give in to our own destructive, inner critic. This inner negativity is also known as self-sabotage. (p. 19) According to the author, everyone experiences resistance. There are no exceptions. (p. 13)
Resistance and Fear
Resistance often shows up as fear. Fear is reasonable for it can be an indicator of what we need to address in life. In other words, what helps us breakthrough resistance is how we face our fears. If we can conquer our fears, we can beat resistance. Pressfield reiterates that resistance loses its power over us when we address and work through our fears. (p. 16)
Working through resistance can be as simple as acknowledging that we are afraid. Seek to understand what your angst is telling you about yourself. Recognize your vulnerability in the midst of trepidation. Understanding also leads to the breakthrough of resistance.
Maybe fear and resistance cannot be conquered or entirely defeated. Fear happens and keeps happening throughout our lives. Being able to recognize our fears can help loosen the power of resistance that blocks us from doing our creative work and being our best self.
Breakthrough with Action No Matter How Small
According to Pressfield, we can change our lives this very moment. It is never too late, and we are never too old to work through our obstacles. When we sit down to do our work, the creative work we are meant to do, then we can beat resistance. (p.22)
The struggle with resistance is part of the creative process. Doing small steps of action will generate the breakthroughs. Remember that progress in both personal growth and in fostering creativity happens by our commitment to taking action, no matter how minute the steps. Persevere through the moments of resistance and keep going.
Defeating Resistance is like giving birth. It seems absolutely impossible until you remember that women have been pulling it off successfully, with support and without, for fifty million years. – Steven Pressfield
What have been your moments of breakthrough in dealing with obstacles to your creativity and personal growth?
Your thoughts?
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