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

The War of Art is one of those books that hits you right where you need it. It’s a sharp, no-fluff look at why we avoid doing the work that really matters to us; whether that’s writing, painting, starting new course, or anything creative. Pressfield introduces this idea of “Resistance”that inner force that shows up every time we try to step into something meaningful. He doesn’t sugarcoat it; Resistance is real, and it’s brutal. But he also gives a clear path to fighting it: you show up, you do the work, like a professional. The book is broken into three parts: 1. What Resistance is and how it works. 2. How to beat it by committing fully. 3. How creativity connects to something bigger than us. It’s super easy to read, short chapters, direct language, and full of lines that stick with you. Some parts feel almost spiritual, but in a grounded, motivating way. Why I loved it: It doesn’t try to “inspire” you- it challenges you. It called me out on every excuse I’ve ever made and reminded me that doing the work isn’t about being in the mood or feeling ready. It’s about showing up. If you’re stuck, procrastinating, or constantly doubting yourself creatively- read this. It’s a kick in the soul in the best possible way.

This seemingly simple book gives the readers so much hope, strength and optimism. It is a must read for any creative person.

If you're a creative or just generally a go-getter, then there's nothing in this book that you don't already know from your own experiences. However, it's still nice to have it all in one place. I found the book very helpful because it reminded me of all the important stuff I already know but which I forget to pay heed to in the chaos of my every days. About one fifth of the book was a little unreadable for me. It was the section where he talks about the self and the ego. I skimmed through those parts because they reeked of new-age speak which has never helped me and which I found very off-putting in what was otherwise an excellent and quick read.

It's a powerful and punchy guide for anyone striving to create whether that’s writing a book, building a business, or pursuing a personal dream. The author introduces the concept of Resistance, the inner force that keeps us from doing the work that truly matters. It shows up as procrastination, fear, doubt, perfectionism anything that stops us from taking action. Pressfield writes in short, impactful chapters that feel like motivational punches. He encourages us to shift from being amateurs to professionals; people who show up every day, regardless of excuses or fears. The tone is direct, honest, and often confrontational in the best way. It reminds us that creativity isn’t just inspiration rather it’s discipline, courage, and persistence. Whether you are an artist, entrepreneur, or someone who knows they are capable of more, this book acts as a wake-up call. This book is not just about creativity, it’s a manifesto for overcoming the battles within and finally unleashing your true potential.

I know you wanna change. You wanna improve your self. You read all the classics in the self-help niche, all the success stories of the greatest personalities, and learn all the strategies. And you feel that HIGH once a book is finished, eager and enthusiastic to apply all the knowledge you've gained and to see some results. And the days go by... you slowly realize you're actually going nowhere, atleast not as much as you desire and expected. You know what to do, you know how to do, but you won't seem to be able to apply the knowledge in realtime. And it sucks, i know that feeling. And you slowly fall into the vicious circle. You slowly take some other book that you hope atleast will help with your problem. You pick a book.... you'll read... feels motivated.... days go by.... you realize.... it sucks... you start again( i hope) THIS IS WHERE "TheWARofART" is a LIFE SAVING BOOK. When you see that you're going nowhere even after knowing what to do. You'll slowly fall into the depressing thought process that may be YOU WILL NEVER BE THAT GUY YOU WANNA BE. In every self-help book that we read hardly anyone was able to put the problem we are facing in such a way like in WARofART, where it truly kicks in your ass and makes you aware of the RESISTANCE you're facing ever since you know your self. if you suck at taking ACTION about anything, and feeling how to do it. Just pick up this book and read it... take the book with you, when ever you're feeling of resistance or its disguised forms, read few pages from the book. I bet you wont be sitting there idle once you finish this true gem of a book.. but will go and do your long held unfinished, undared stuff. This is my first review ever since i'm puchasing books/anything from amazon. I thought of writing for some.. but you see RESISTANCE is a b***h. but now I did. It's all those simple actions that makes a difference in a long run. And WarOfArt will help you beat the RESISTANCE and take that ACTION. All the best. :)

Je ne sais pas pourquoi je n'avais jamais entendu parler de ce livre avant, il devrait être obligatoire à l'école. Je fais à présent partie d'un groupe fermé de gens qui sont en train de métamorphoser leur vie pour le mieux et nombre d'entre eux à lu ce livre et le classe n°1 dans leur collection. C'est bien écrit mais simple et direct. Facile mais profond. Succint mais instruit. Dès les premières pages on est absorbé, fasciné et empli d'espoir, puis de certitude : je VAIS vaincre cette Résistance, cette peur insensée. Vous êtes angoissé ? Déprimé ? Vous avez tendance à ne rien foutre ? A perdre du temps ? Ce livre démistifie, explique, et détruit ces résistances, et donne des clés concrètes pour vaincre. Je recommande fortement. Vous vous devez bien cela.

This is a holy grail. Pressfield writes in a very special way about what art is and how it reflects work, thereby changing your idea of what real work actually means. He makes very clear that people are creative, producing creatures who gain recognition and self-worth out of working hard on something and receiving contentment out of that. He also gives a lot of concrete, practical tips on how to overcome inertia and procrastination. Most of the time he is very blunt in that. He doesn't give a magical solution but states that it's just important to keep on working not according to your mood but according to scheduel and that inspiration eventually will follow (an advice of several great writers/creators I've read). A great bonus is the humor with which Pressfield writes. Several times I had to laugh so hard it made me cry. I love the blunt, sarcastic undertone. It seems to be a language that makes it easier to comprehend difficult notions. Pressfield's message is partly also spiritual in nature. When you've read whole the book you actually will start to look at the creation process of art as something that is partly spiritual because art contains inexplicable, almost magical, elements that are not to be fully understood in logical, linear terms. Recommendation for everyone that creates!

Ok. I read or heard about this book enough times to be intrigued and I went and read it. And yeah, I get it. It's not what I'd usually consider would appeal to me, but it did. A great deal actually. Just a few underlines, but very powerful ones. I'm not too keen on the machoesque undertones, but nothing to really trip over. Just a stylistic choice. The message comes through loud and clear. And it's one worth hearing.

Warning: Very long review. This book has helped me multiple times. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu coined the famous phrase ‘know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.’ In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield launches into a similar discussion. In the first section we will discover our enemy: Resistance. The second section discusses our means for combat: Turning Pro. In the third and final section we will see that the battle is between our Self and our Ego. Resistance – Defining the Enemy. This is the first of 3 sections Pressfield shares with us on what he considers to be the enemy of the creator. Resistance is an internal force, the ‘enemy within.’ Defined as self-sabotage, resistance usually manifests as avoidance, procrastination, or inaction caused by fear which creates paralysis. Resistance, according to Pressfield, is invisible, insidious, implacable, internal, impersonal and universal. He elaborates on each of these adjectives (and more), unafraid to use a clever metaphor or simile to illustrate a point. For example, in the section ‘Resistance is infallible, Pressfield writes: “Like a magnetized needle floating on a surface of oil, Resistance will unfailingly point to true North-meaning that calling or action it most wants to stop us from doing.” Pressfield goes on to point out Resistance in its many guises: the way peers may be recruited as allies of Resistance when an artist starts to conquer Resistance; the people around her “begin acting strange…they are trying to sabotage her” because they are experiencing Resistance of their own. They may begin to feel guilty for not trying to reach their own potential To make themselves feel better, they pressure her either directly or indirectly to backslide. In my case, I have a couple of people who point out how hard I work, don’t I need to take some me time? That sort of thing…. Resistance also encourages the artist’s tendency to quit at 99%, procrastinating work in order to not face completion of their work. Completion opens our work up to our peers for review and examination of others. He states that Resistance has no power of its own, only power it receives from our fear. Any one reading it will be able to identify where Resistance has dug it’s claws in at one time or another with many of his examples and definitions. I want to point out that nowhere in his book does Pressfield address the Resistance we also face via the internet, email, Facebook, etc. In one section he mentions completely missing Watergate because he was too busy writing. Apparently he is able to focus on his work so strongly these things that distract many of us have no appeal to him. The second section covers: Combating Resistance – Turning Pro. According to Pressfield, there’s no mystery about turning pro. You just make the decision and by an act of your will it is so. By turning pro, Pressfield is talking about the ideal of becoming a professional, a mindset. You make a decision to sit down and do your craft, or exercise, or whatever, NO MATTER WHAT. No matter what tries to distract you and stop you, you keep going until the day is done. You are professional in your dedication and behavior. “An amateur plays for fun, a professional for keeps.” The amateur lets a cold or minor distractions stop him. The professional knows he needs to do the work, and then get better. The amateur thinks he can quit anytime it gets tough and go back to something else. The professional doesn’t want to quit every time he hits a problem, he has discipline and determination to steady him. Turning pro means basically to prepare a work discipline and follow it. To paraphrase Pressfield’s definition: A pro shows up every day no matter what, stays on the job all day, and is in it for the long haul. For the pro, the stakes are high. Pros accept payment for their work (even if they don’t always make an income). Pros also master the technique of their work, have a sense of humor about their jobs, and receive real-world praise or blame. He explains the hangovers and colds and other things as excuses we use to deflect ourselves from our purpose and from fulfilling our call. An added benefit, if you really love what you do, you will be like a child who looks up from their activities to be surprised to find that it’s time for supper. Also, Pressfield makes a point that we are not to get our identity from the thing we are trying to create. You are still you. Your work should be work, not you. Aside from your calling, your life’s work, you should have an identity that stands alone. If you only have an identity in whatever you are trying to create, you leave yourself vulnerable to the attacks that will come. You will take it all personally and it should never be that way. Your work is what is being attacked, and you should be able to stand back and defend it objectively. Do not over invest your emotional well being in your success or failure. I think this is a common mistake made. You, Inc. – Pressman also brings up the benefits of making yourself a corporation. Even if you only think of yourself in this way it can reinforce the idea of professionalism in your work because it separates the artist-doing-the-work from the consciousness-running-the-show. I love his idea of having status meetings with himself. In corporate America, we have a status meeting every Monday morning, decide on a plan of action and who will take care of what part of that plan, then divvy out the assignments, type it up and distribute it to the various participants. He has one of those meetings with himself every Monday. He sits down and goes over his assignments, decides when to be responsible for what, and types it up and distributes it to himself. Sometimes as Joe-blow he is too intimidated to go out and pimp himself, but as Joe-blow Inc, he enjoys the pimping. He’s not him anymore. He’s Me, Inc. This third and final section talks about the muses and identifies the cause of Resistance through the Self and the Ego. Muses, angels, demons, geniuses, an input from the collective unconsciousness, all these Pressfield calls our allies, “equal and opposite powers…counterpoised against [Resistance].” These allies join us when we make the shift from being an amateur to a professional. In the second section, he heavily stresses professionalism. He states the most important thing about art is work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying. “When we sit down day after day and keep grinding…The muse takes note of our dedication. She approves…we becomes like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come.” Following this simple but powerful truth, Pressfield talks about the day he finished his first book. He finally wrote, The End. He received this sage advice from his friend Paul: “Good for you. Start the next one today.” In my words: don’t stop now, you finally have a work ethic that is producing your art. Now: Ego and Self, and the battle between the two. Resistance has its seat in Ego. The Ego is that part of the psyche that believes in material existence, is concerned with its own preservation and comfort, with stasis and the physical, material world. The Ego likes things the way they are. It likes to be in control. The Self, according to Pressfield, is where we grow from. This is where our dreams and ideas come from. When we meditate or pray, this is the part of ourselves we are seeking. Self is our deepest being. Why does the Ego hate the self? According to Pressfield, its …”…because when we seat our consciousness in the Self, we put the ego out of business.” The Ego hates it when the creator sits down to create, whether it’s a book, a painting or an exercise routine. Ego hates to lose control, and tries to cripple Self. It hates creators because they are pathfinders to the future. Pressfield ends the book with a simple call to action: listen to your Self and take action in order to find out what you were meant to do. Once you figure it out, do it like a professional. If you don’t explore and utilize your gifts, you hurt yourself and everyone around you. If you do, great; you’re sharing your gifts with the world. Pressfield uses humor and a confident, competent demeanor in what he shares. He’s been there and done this, and wants to share the rewarding fruit he has to show for it, to encourage us to seek that fruit for ourselves. He wants us to be able to overcome our enemy, Resistance, and flourish with our own muses. We all encounter Resistance in one form or another (fear of failure, fear of success, procrastination, avoidance, distraction, etc.). This book is an extremely easy read, and was very encouraging to me personally. I would highly recommend it for anyone facing any new project in their life. You will be surprised by the things this book reveals to you, and you will also see yourself represented in more than one situation Pressfield shares. Steven Pressfield defines the enemy, offers a strategy for overcoming it and shows us the beautiful fruit we can have as a result of our labor: A completed work, a job well done. Eventually success. It all started for him when he was finally able to write: The End.

The package arrived with no problem, the book is full with reflections on how to turn pro as an artist or creative and get working on your craft.