Customer Reviews

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

5 star:		(219)
4 star:		(50)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

Know the enemy, know yourself, wrote Sun Tzu in his classic The Art of War, and your victory will be certain. For anyone who is stuck at a level below their God-given potential, who can't seem to get on track to do the things they need to do in order to achieve their most authentic goals, knowing the enemy and knowing yourself are one and the same.

Steve Pressfield's magnificent little book The War of Art is about being more creative - but more important, it's also about fulfilling your potential as a human being. To do this, he says, you must overcome Resistance (the "R" is capitalized be Pressfield to represent the fact that it is a very real entity - as real to your authentic Self as Charles Manson or Genghis Khan were to their victims).

The whole aim of Resistance, says Pressfield (who is the bestselling author of The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire), is to prevent you from doing the work you are called to do. Resistance wants you to take it easy, to be ordinary and mediocre, to take the low road. Resistance is the reason so many people place a basket over the brilliant candle that shines within them. The fight against Resistance is, Pressfield says, a war to the death.

Pressfield disputes the standard motivational cliché that you can have, do, or be anything if you follow the right formula and just work hard enough. Rather, he says: "We are not born with unlimited choices... Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal that we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it."

There are two occasions when Resistance will be the most relentless, and they are related. The first is when something really matters to you. "Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it." If your lifelong goal is to be a writer, a rejection letter from a publisher will hurt a whole lot more than if you submitted your manuscript on a dare.

The second occasion that Resistance is most dangerous is related to what Pressfield calls "the mother of all fears," namely the fear that you will actually succeed. Resistance builds as you get closer to the finish line. "At this point, Resistance knows we're about to beat it. It hits the panic button. It marshals one last assault and slams us with everything it's got." There is a real paradox here: the closer you get to reaching that proverbial tipping point, where things are really starting to click, the more likely you are to engage in the self-sabotaging behavior that is the calling card of Resistance.

Pressfield offers a prescription for defeating Resistance. You must, he says, become "a pro." But he does not mean that in the sense of earning a living at the work, in the sense of being a member of a certain profession, or in the sense of being looked up to by your peers. Rather, he simply means showing up every day with your lunch pail and getting to work. Much of the book has to do with how you make this transformation so that you can do the work that you are called to do.

I have made a small poster with this quote from Steve's book and placed it prominently above my computer: "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. This second, we can sit down and do our work." My own next book has been on the back-burner for far too long, victim to Resistance. But now I have a weapon: Every time Resistance stands between me and doing my work, I pull Steve's book from out of my bookshelf and beat Resistance over the head. Then in that very second, I sit down and do my work. And it's working.

I posted a review of this book over a year ago, right after I read it for the first time. I gave it three stars at that time because, other than the first section dealing with resistence in a practical sense, I found the rest of the book to be too esoteric. Since then I have done a tremendous amount of soul-searching regarding my inner drive to become a writer. That search took me back to this book recently, and after reading it for a second time I have to say I don't know what I was thinking when I gave it only three stars. Today I truly believe it is worthy of five stars because it struck deep into my conscience and helped me understand my situation and the situation of others like me. Anyone who is trying to tap into the inspiration they sense burning somewhere inside them that tells them to go out and write - or to create any other kind of art - will benefit tremendously if they open their minds and prepare themselves for rigorous introspection. This is not a simple self-help or how-to book. It is a truly profound examination of the human mind and the quest for fulfillment that we all feel.

If you have a passion in your life -- writing, painting, music, sculpting, dancing, acting -- and if this passion is the reason you believe you're alive, then check out this book. One of Pressfield's premises is that we're all MEANT for something, we're each here for some reason, to create something in the world (Eternity is in love with the productions of time) and if we don't live for and through this, then we're wasting our time. He blasts away even the most stubborn and alluring resistances - the excuses we tell ourselves for not doing the work. This book can rev you up -- it's short (165 pages)and powerful. I breezed through the book in a few hours and felt energized. Pressfield puts art-making in perspective, puts procastination in perspective, and delivers in a direct, conversational tone -- as one human who is trying to live a life that means something to another. I've read a lot of "how to" books and most don't live up to their hype. This one deals with how to overcome the obstacles of ambition and how (and why) to discipline yourself. As much as a cliche as it may sound, it will make a difference in how you look at what you do. Give it to anyone else you know who wants to write, paint, act, dance, compose, and wants to follow their dream.

Are you creative, yet are facing writer's block? Read this book and it'll shake your block loose and help set you free!

In this slim volume Stephen Pressfield discusses the inner naysayer we all have within us, also referred to as an inner critic by most writers.This book helps you identify and defeat the negative self talk any creative person must deal with. It does so in a serious tone, sprinkled with lots of humor. For example, the heading of one of his essays is "How To Be Miserable" - it was an essay that had me chuckling. It also had me nodding my head as I recognized myself in what he wrote.

Written using a variety of short essays, this book is easy to pick up and read at any point. I read it from the first page to the last, in order. You don't necessarily need to do that to benefit from Stephen Pressfield's wisdom about the inner struggle creative people face from day to day. Read from beginning to end does have it's advantages though -- the author takes aim at resistance, procrastination, rationalization, and finally at the end winning the war. When we win the war of art we are free to create, free to be truly happy.

This is one of the best books I've read on the subject. It helped me identify my own foibles then smash the blocks holding me back. I saw myself in each page and triumphed along with the author. This is an excellent book for any creative person. I highly recommend it.

One thing is certain: Steven Pressfield was compelled by whatever source provides him inspiration for his craft to write this book. This is not a labor of love; it is a labor of compulsion. The book is also certain to draw extreme reviews: some will love it; others won't. Middle ground is unlikely. The book manifests itself: I don't think Steven Pressfield cares if he sells one copy, nor does he care whether we like it or not. He only knows that this was a book he had to write. I'm glad he did.

The War of Art is a real-world extension of Bagger Vance, the Jonathan Livingston Seagull of the `90's. Pressfield's presentation draws comparison to many statements that have floated around in my head over the years. JLS said "You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self here and now." In the second edition of the Star War series (in the late `70's?) Yoda tells Luke Skywalker, "There is no try." Either do it or don't do it. The War of Art makes a strong case for both of these concepts.

I was a fighter pilot for nearly 10 years, edited and published a newspaper for two, and entered the battlefield of corporate America two decades ago. As I concluded Pressfield's book, I was overwhelmed with the bittersweet feeling that I truly wished I had read this book when I was 20, not 52. Only having read one or two randomly selected pages when I got the book, I emailed by 20-year-old son in New Hampshire and made it "mandatory reading." He called me within 48 hours, and I couldn't fail to see the impression The War of Art had made on him. "Dad," he said, "For the first time in my life, I can see all the time I've wasted ...." The impact was as real as it was profound.

I read once that "the only thing in the middle of the road is yellow stripes and dead armadillos." Pressfield powerfully demands that the reader has to make affirmative choices to accomplish any calling in life; there is no middle of the road. He deftly explains why so few people reach their own God-given and inspired potential and offers his path for reaching that potential.

Even at 52-years-old, I will change my life having read this book. I sense my son will too. There are concepts that I cannot nor would I fully commit to. Nonetheless, Pressfield has professed an approach to life, be it art or otherwise, that will work. Whether you love this book or hate it, I guarantee it will make you think, and it will alter your approach to life, the path you've taken and the pace of your journey.

First I want to say that I love this book. Second, I need to say that there might be better ways to attack procrastination.

The first time I read this, everything in it spoke to my problem of procrastinating from writing. The voice in the book is no-nonsense and raises the stakes of completing your work. He speaks of resistance as an enemy that must be conquered at all costs. He describes how to think of yourself as a professional to put yourself at some remove from your work. He also throws together a mythology of creativeness that is almost Jungian (or from Blake). The voice is that of a hard boiled detective. Really I'm not doing justice to how wonderful these short essays are to read.

However, after reading this book, I worked hard for a short while and again stopped. I can't blame the book for this.

I would argue that this book tries to encourage one to work by raising the stakes. And let me tell you, this book is very inspirational. It will get you working. It will instill in you the idea that your work is important. As the title says, you must attack resistance.

I have personally found that raising the stakes works only in the short term. As much as I love this book, it does nothing to lower my anxiety. Even though Pressfield makes clear that one has to be a professional and not wrap up ones self worth in their work, the overall message is the more resistance you feel, the more you must do this. And it is very very important you do this ("this" being anything you want to do but feel resistance toward doing).

Another way of overcoming procrastination is to lower the stakes. Instead of thinking "I must do this", one can think "I choose to do this" or one can still survive and thrive even if your chosen mission goes uncompleted. If you increase your self esteem in other areas of your life, rather than focusing on that role of "creator", it frees you up to be pulled toward the job - rather than being pushed by the feeling that you "have to" do something. A sense of security is the best motivator for doing creative work.

JULY 24 2009 (1 year and 1 month update): I disagree with this review I wrote a year ago. After completing a first draft of a book, I realized much more how valuable this book is. I keep it on my desk. I would now rate it five stars, because what I said in this review was just me trying to be rationalize my block. I felt I needed to correct the review because this book touches a nerve in me that I can't explain very well. But what I said at first could easily hold true for somebody, so I'll leave it up.

It's the main title that grabs your attention, pulls you in, if you will. THE WAR OF ART...clever...reminds you of one of the original self-improvement classics by that Oriental fellow, the book that's probably politically incorrect to admit that you like or even have read but is indispensable for getting your cause from Point A to Point B. It's the subtitle, however --- "Break Through Your Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles" --- that is the money line, the reason that you buy it, read it, and keep it. At the least, this slim volume will reaffirm what you may already know, and at best change how you live, or don't live, your life.

Steven Pressfield is best known as a fiction writer. THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE is one of those titles that is, alas, possibly better known than the author. As Pressfield notes in THE WAR OF ART, he was hesitant at first to step outside of fiction writing. It is that hesitance --- what Pressfield dubs as "Resistance" with a capital 'R' --- that keeps us, at least some of us, from doing what we want to do, from writing the Great American Novel to walking up to Beverly D'Angelo when we see her walking in Upper Manhattan and saying, "Hi! Remember me? I went to Kindergarten with you and I have a film idea that will revitalize your acting and singing career!" Or dieting. Or starting a company. You get the idea.

Understanding Resistance is important; Pressfield spends a third of THE WAR OF ART discussing his definition of Resistance, another third on ways to combat it, and the final third of the book discussing what lies beyond Resistance. I have to confess that the last section of THE WAR OF ART hit me like a brick wall, or I hit it. But I still have to recommend this work, for the same reason that I recommend driving an automobile, though I have not a clue regarding the science of internal combustion. Like THE WAR OF ART, it works.

Pressfield hits it right on the head when he notes that people are afraid of success. I have two friends. One is probably the best writer I know. He is afraid to finish anything, to send it in, to have someone other than myself and maybe three or four other people look at it. My other friend has three or four new ideas a day --- inventions, songs, concepts, businesses, you name it; he has 20 things going at once. My second friend walked up to a gentleman in a karaoke bar --- a gentleman you would know --- and within 20 minutes talked him into cutting a rock 'n' roll record. The difference between my two friends is that the first can't break through Resistance, while the second drives through it with a steamroller every morning.

Pressfield gets into the nitty-gritty of breaking through what holds you down and back, all in short, to-the-point chapters (one of which is only three sentences long). This style makes THE WAR OF ART easy to digest and, more importantly, easy to refer to for the occasional refresher point or pep talk.

THE WAR OF ART is intended as a guide to unlocking the barriers to creativity, using the keys that you already have but may have forgotten about or misplaced. While all of it may not be for everybody, I cannot imagine that anyone could pick up this canny, smartly written tome without finding at least one element that they will take, and use, for their betterment for the rest of their lives. THE WAR OF ART is a work to keep, and to keep close at hand.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

I had a good time reading the pages of this book and found myself laughing out loud, and enjoying how Steven Pressfield shares how to break through the blocks and win our inner creative battles. He explains in great detail how resistance works in life and can sabotage us from pursuing our dreams (big and small). He explains where procrastination comes from and the many faces it can take on so one can tackle it and stop it from ruling our lives.
While reading, I thought that a great follow up to this book is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: A Book About Instantaneous Transformation by Ariel and Shya Kane because their book presents 3 principles of Transformation that have supported me in shifting that very resistance Steven describes. After reading the Kane's books, (the other two are How To Create a Magical Relationship and Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment), all aspects of my life have transformed and the pursuing of my dreams happens effortlessly and organically.
I strongly recommend these books to anyone who wants to unlock their true potential and live the life of their dreams.

The early pages in the book built high expectations. The first section on Resistance was very good. Author explains the various forms of Resistance and why it impedes progress and growth.

The second section on combating resistance was less worthy and lacked substance on how to permanently solve the Resistance problem beyond "just do it" and "just stick to it" and "focus."

The final section (Beyond Resistance - The Higher Realm) took up more than 1/3 of book - was of little utility for me. I hoped this time would have been spent expanding on solutions for Resistance.

I did find some nuggets in this book - most in the first Section. Here's a few:

"Are you paralyzed with fear? That's a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember our rule of thumb: The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it."

"The professional (vs. the amateur) has learned better. He respects Resistance. He knows if he caves in today, no matter how plausible the pretext, he'll be twice as likely to cave in tomorrow."

While highly rated by most reviewers (and the reason I bought this book), I'm afraid this book didn't work for me.

I picked up a copy of The War of Art after spying it on the shelf and bought it out of admiration for the author's previous works and out of curiosity about his angle on this subject.

The War of Art seems akin to the likes of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. This is very good company to be in, in my opinion.

The War of Art is a quick read and, for me, held some measure of inspiration on every page. The book's central theme is a look at the artist's (writer, painter, anyone's inner creative self) constant battle with the evil of what Pressfield personifies as Resistance. I found this particular perspective on a very familiar problem (packaged and addressed in other ways in the works I mentioned above) to be one that I could identify with and while in the course of reading it I found myself making adjustments to my thinking about my work. That's what we all hope for from books, I think, and only a few deliver on that.

Pressfield designs an entertaining reading experience with this book, too. A great for instance is his use of a line from John Wayne in the classic western film The Searchers. I knew I'd met a kindred spirit.