The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield: is a great quick read about how to approach creativity and break through the resistance holding you back from creating and/or from sharing your creations with the world.
Pairs With: a KitKat bar because you’re going to want to share this one with someone!
Overview
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a popular nonfiction book about how to approach creativity and break through the resistance that is holding you back. Throughout the book, Pressfield discusses the creative battles that occur while being an author. Even though Pressfield is a writer and discusses some ideas in terms of writing, this book could be useful for all creative fields.
This book perfectly combines Outwitting The Devil by Napoleon Hill, Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, and The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. It also has a little sprinkle of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert in there.
This book is broken down into three sections which Pressfield refers to as Book One, Book Two, and Book Three.
Book I: Resistance
Book One is called, “Resistance: Defining the Enemy” and focuses on what resistance is and how it gets you to slow down or not show up. Resistance is similar to what Napoleon Hill referred to as the Devil in Outwitting The Devil. Resistance can be felt but not seen and everyone experiences it. It can also be the strongest when you’re closest to achieving your dream. And it can also feel similar to your Ego.
Book II: Combating Resistance
Book Two is called, “Combating Resistance: Turning Pro” and is all about how to keep resistance in check and make sure you continue making your art regardless of what resistance wants you to do. This section is similar to The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. It encourages the creative to break through the resistance by having good habits when it comes to creating. This section is mainly about how to become a professional at creating. It’s about following the pros behavior. For example, Pressfield states, “a professional is patient” and “a professional acts in the face of fear.”
Pressfield explains that resistance loves when we over-identify with our jobs and make that who we are. Resistance knows that that is when we will be paralyzed by the fear of failure. Pressfield recommends separating yourself (and your worth) apart from what you create. That way you are less likely to get paralyzed by fear and aren’t as impacted by the outcomes. He uses Madonna as an example and explains how Madonna is simply a character Madonna employs.
My favorite quote from this book comes from this section of the book. It is, “The professional learns to recognize envy-driven criticism and to take it for what it is: the supreme compliment. The critic hates most that which he would have done himself if he had had the guts.” How f*cking true is that?! Ahh, it’s glorious.
Book III: Beyond Resistance
Book Three is called, “Beyond Resistance: The Higher Realm” and is about the magic that occurs when creating. This section reminds me of the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is all about the invisible forces that assist us on our creative journey.
Pressfield explains, “Insights pop into our heads while we’re shaving or taking a shower or even, amazingly, while we’re actually working… Clearly some intelligence is at work, independent of our conscious mind and yet in alliance with it, processing our material for us and alongside us.”
Pressfield also has advice for you if you’re struggling with sharing your art. He says, “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
Conclusion
For a quick read, this book packs a punch! At 165 pages, and with most pages only having text on half of the page, The War of Art can easily be read in one sitting. AND it will leave you hyped to start creating.
Pressfield wastes no time getting straight to the point throughout the three sections and sharing his powerful insights. Book I explains what resistance is and how it shows up for all of us and tries to knock us off course. In Book II Pressfield explains how to concur resistance by following what the pros do. He encourages readers to become a professional and look at their creative tasks from a different point of view. And lastly, Book III is all about the magic that occurs when we start to create and work on something. The invisible forces that support us and help us along on our creative journey. Pressfield touches on how incredible it is that these wonderful ideas just pop into our heads. And he encourages the reader to share their creative calling because it is a gift to the world.
If you are a creative looking for some motivation and clarity around your creative process, I highly recommend giving this book a try! Keep the sticky notes and highlighter handy because you’ll want to remember a lot from this one.
Let me know! Have you read this one or any others like it?? I LOVE books, shows, documentaries, movies, or anything about creativity! If you have any recommendations I’d love to hear them!! Comment below 👇 or feel free to email or DM me on Insta!
P.S. Be sure to check out my other reviews on The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday.
