Here is a bit more of what Steven Pressfield says about Resistance:
“There’s a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don’t, and the secret is this: It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.”
“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance.”
“Any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity. Any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower. Any of these will elicit Resistance.”
“Resistance arises from within. It is self-generated and self-perpetuated. Resistance is the enemy within.”
“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.”
“Procrastination is the most common manifestation of Resistance because it’s the easiest to rationalize. We don’t tell ourselves, ‘I’m never going to write my symphony.’ Instead we say, ‘I am going to write my symphony; I’m just going to start tomorrow.”
“Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tell 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.”
“You know, Hitler wanted to be an artist. At eighteen he took his inheritance and moved to Vienna to live and study. He applied to the Academy of Fine Arts and later to the School of Architecture. Ever see one of his paintings? Neither have I. Resistance beat him. Call it overstatement but I’ll say it anyway: it was easier for Hitler to start World War II than it was for him to face a blank square of canvas.”
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
What powerful words! What encouraging words! I realize more and more that the older I get the faster time has gone by. I need to stop saying, “I want to…” and start doing.
We met last nit with a small group of kindred spirits concerning our conversation the other day. They are excited, but there is a lot of church-detoxing that is going to have to take place in many of us. I am starting today!
Pray God’s blessing as I seek His guidance.
This has been on my reading list for a while now. These words were just want I needed to read today. Resistance has a power over me and it is helpful to be reminded I am not the only person struggling. Now to take the knowlegde and act.
Keith–that’s awesome. Keep me posted.
Kevin–thanks for stopping in. The book is definitely worth getting.
Wow. Our priest must have read this very same book, because in his sermon a couple of Sundays ago, he literally gave us the same examples you just did (except maybe the first and last).
Except he called Resistance “the Devil”.
Cecilia–It is interesting that “resistance” and “evil” or “the devil” are interchangeable in the above quotes.
Hope you are well.
Too true, it is really hard to start when the project is super big.