The war of Art is the best book I have read this year.
Not saying just because I read at the right time. It’s a serious kick in the ass for all the creative minds striving to shine. Steven Pressfield as I would like to call him THE BOSS, himself a renowned writer structured out the mindset of an artist like a well directed movie with no-nonsense story.
This book has three parts. About resistance (one’s inner barriers), a pro Vs wanna become writers’ characteristics and how a pro battles?!
And trust me when you’re done with this book, you know what to do next if you’re fighting a war little bit like me. I mean, even I believe, one day I would live my dream by publishing that book I wanted to write for the past three years (Not in imaginary publications).
As this book helped me a lot in my tough times, I would like to show some gratitude by writing this post. Definitely I can’t do that in a single go. So, I am gonna write this as two parts.
MY TOP THREE LESSONS FROM THE WAR OF ART:
LESSON 1: START IS IMPORTANT
I know I can write. Not “writer” type, a person to whom everyone might ask to write their leave letter kind of writing. Because every time when I sit for writing, I would end up with something even if it’s a garbage. But I never made that as a routine. I write only when I felt like writing and understood that is one big problem.
The Boss says, “It’s not the writing part is hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance. The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it”
I have tested this theory and it happened to be true. Every time when you feel like doing something productive, you feel more not do it. Excuses, procrastination, complaining, feeling tired and blah more.
I am hundred percent sure you have that problem too. If not, then you’re a GOD. Tell me how, please! As it needs lot of practice and experience to shape your mind on starting the work rather on the impact. It’s very simple, just do it (but not easy at all).
LESSON 2: BE MISERABLE
When we think about our creativity we first think about what we will get out of it. I don’t know about you but I most of the times live in the after effects of my current action. It’s not my problem. It’s the era dude!! 2K kids, right.
Let’s say we open Instagram, seeing a celebrity pic, he/ she is looking great, thinking their life is awesome, a second of hatred towards our life, our soul saying that person is lucky then starts scrolling.
But have we ever thought what were all the struggles that person in the pic would have fought to reach that stage in their life? Mostly No. We forget to see the war they fight everyday to become the person they dream of. Because they know their role as an artist. It is to fight!!!
The boss says, “An artist’s invaluable asset is learning how to be miserable!! Because you can not win a war by being candy-asses. By becoming an artist, one is volunteering for hell dining for the duration of isolation, rejection, self doubt , despair etc… Thus it’s a war and war is a hell”
Hence, in an artist’s job description the highlighted skill is to be miserable every single day. Again simple but not easy.
LESSON 3: DOUGHNUT IS IMPORTANT NOT THE HOLE
Two years back, I started posting some quotes, posted my guitar videos, my own songs in Instagram. It was going well. I loved playing, singing, smiling and feeling very hopeful. Suddenly one day when I woke up, I decided to delete everything, No specific reason. I thought it doesn’t make sense anymore.
Now I understood it’s because I forgot to focus on my work or craft. I was validating my present motive with respect to the other people’s views. The pro doesn’t give a shit about the world. In other words, they don’t care. They have a war to fight for god’s sake.
“A pro keeps an eye on doughnut not on the hole. He doesn’t take humiliation, embarrassment personally”, the boss says.
I should say this rule is neither simple nor easy to get adapted at the beginning. I am testing this for the past two months and I still have loopholes.
That’s it for this post. I hope this message made you to go and read Steven’s book for more clarity.
Little bit spoiler alert. The vocabulary is so advanced. Person like me would need a dictionary all the time. It might test your patience. But it’s worth the time.
If you’re a Taylor Swift, then easy Stevesy it is.
Alright, bye for now!
An avid storyteller who will never say no to a decent cup of tea and anything called SCRIPT!!