The War of Art

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The following is a list, in no particular order, of those activities that most commonly elicit Resistance:
The pursuit of any calling in writing, painting, music, film, dance, or any creative art, however marginal or unconventional. 2)
The launching of any entrepreneurial venture or enterprise, for profit or otherwise. 3)
Any diet or health regimen. 4)
Any program of spiritual advancement. 5)
Any activity whose aim is tighter abdominals. 6)
Any course or program designed to overcome an unwholesome habit or addiction. 7)
Education of every kind. 8)
Any act of political, moral, or ethical courage, including the decision to change for the better some unworthy pattern of thought or conduct in ourselves. 9)
The undertaking of any enterprise or endeavor whose aim is to help others. 10)
Any act that entails commitment of the heart. The decision to get married, to have a child, to weather a rocky patch in a relationship. 11)
The taking of any principled stand in the face of adversity.

In other words, any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity. Or, expressed another way, any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower. Any of these will elicit Resistance.
 
Resistance is not a peripheral opponent. Resistance arises from within. It is self-generated and self-perpetuated. Resistance is the enemy within.

Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work. It will perjure, fabricate, falsify; seduce, bully, cajole.

If you take Resistance at its word, you deserve everything you get. Resistance is always lying and always full of shit.

Resistance is like the Alien or the Terminator or the shark in Jaws. It cannot be reasoned with. It understands nothing but power. It is an engine of destruction, programmed from the factory with one object only: to prevent us from doing our work. Resistance is implacable, intractable, indefatigable.

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.

The danger is greatest when the finish line is in sight. At this point, Resistance knows we’re about to beat it.

Symptoms of Resistance

Procrastination is the most common manifestation of Resistance because it’s the easiest to rationalize.

Never forget: This very moment, we can change our lives. 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.

If you find yourself criticizing other people, you’re probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own.

Rationalization is Resistance’s right-hand man. Its job is to keep us from feeling the shame we would feel if we truly faced what cowards we are for not doing our work.

But rationalization has its own sidekick. It’s that part of our psyche that actually believes what rationalization tells us. It’s one thing to lie to ourselves. It’s another thing to believe it.

“I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. “Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

The artist must be like that Marine. He has to know how to be miserable. He has to love being miserable. He has to take pride in being more miserable than any soldier or swabbie or jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell.

Pros
Show up every day
Show up no matter what
Stay on the job until your day is done.
Committed over the long haul
Stakes are real
We don't overidentify with the work
We master the techniques of our jobs

Unstarred

Dunk (exclude from study)

The War of Art

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Sensemaker