The War of Art by
Steven Pressfield (2002 edition; 165 page)
, as the subtitle indicates , is
about breaking through the blocks and winning
your inner battles. The title may
lead you to believe that it is a book about art but it is not so. It is
not a book about art only. It is a book
about Resistance against any new thing that you want to start ;how to
overcome that Resistance. Procrastination
is the most common manifestation of
Resistance. If not controlled, it can become a
life long habit.
The
moment you decide any of the new activities, there are inner obstacles or blocks . Steven
Pressfield calls them Resistance . He gives
a list of activities which most commonly elicit Resistance (read
Procrastination):
1.Writing , painting , music , film , dance or any creative
art.
2. Launch of any
enterprise, business or non-profit.
3. Any diet or health
regimen.
4. Any programme for
spiritual advancement.
5. Any program to
overcome a habit or addiction .
6. Education of every kind.
7. Any act of courage
including any decision to change our thought or conduct.
8. Any act which needs commitment like getting married, deciding to have a
child or to weather a rocky patch in a relationship.
9. Taking a
principled stand in an adversity.
Resistance is
experienced by every body. Resistance is most powerful at the finish line.
The more energy we spend to get support from our colleagues
and loved ones, the weaker we become. Seeking support is also a sign of
Resistance.
Resistance can be
beaten. One way to do it is to turn pro ( professional). Pressfield mentions
the following qualities that define a
professional:
1.
Show up
every day.
2.
Show up
no matter what.
3.
Stay on
the job all day.
4.
Remain
committed over a long haul.
5.
Your
stakes are high and real.
6.
You accept remuneration for your labour.
7.
You do
not over -identify with your jobs.
8.
You master the techniques of your jobs.
9.
You have a sense of humour about your job.
10.
You receive praise or blame in the real world.
The professional prepares mentally to absorb blows and to
deliver results. He or she reminds
him/herself that it is better to be in the arena , getting stomped by the bull
, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot. A professional is resolute in overcoming resistance.
Pressfield also
recommends that before you sit down to
work, say your prayer to the Muse. The Muses were nine sisters , daughters of
Zeus and Mnemosyne. Their names are Clio, Erato, Thalia, Terpsichore, Calliope, Polyhymnia,
Euterpe, Melpomene , and Urania. Their
job is to inspire artists. Also
always remember Goethe’s couplet:
“ Whatever you can do, or dream you can , begin it. Boldness has genius, magic
and power in it. Begin it now.”
Carl Jung defined the Self as a
greater entity , which includes ego but also incorporates the Personal and Collective Unconscious. Our
consciousness dwells in the ego but we must make efforts to move consciousness
from ego to the Self. Then we discern what is really important,( as we do when
we are about to die) . The Ego produces Resistance .It does not want us to
evolve. It likes the things just the way they are. We must operate
territorially and not hierarchically.
This book captured me slowly . In
fact , when I finished its first reading , I
still thought that it is about art. But slowly , it dawned on me that it
is about everything important that we do in life. The second reading of the
book made it clear to me.
It is an extremely useful
book. All of us procrastinate but we do not consciously realize what Resistance
is working inside us.
I strongly recommend you to read
this book.It will change the way you
live and work.
