Got Stuck?

“Ever read a book that changed your life?—me neither.” Jim Gaffigan

When I heard this joke from Gaffigan at the time, it struck me as funny not only because I just flat out enjoy the guy; but I was having similar thoughts right around the time I watched his special. I had never been able to relate to people that talked about a book having such a huge effect on them; but recently I was recommended one that is having a profound impact on the way I look at my approach to the creative process, it is, “the War of Art” by Steven Pressfield.

Pressfield’s take on the creative process and the internal struggles that always accompany the endeavor is filtered through one primary battle against an intangible entity called: “Resistance”. I’m not going to give a review of the book, only a stern recommendation that I’m finding it to be a useful tool to help get me over or through inner creative blocks. With Pressfield’s granted permission, (he responds quickly to emails) I just wanted to throw out a couple of passages that I think would have been beneficial to some of the discourse that has been conducted on this website,

“A pro views her work as craft, not art. Not because she believes art is devoid of a mystical dimension. On the contrary. She understands that all creative endeavor is holy, but doesn’t dwell on it. She knows if she thinks too much, it will paralyze her. So she concentrates on technique. The professional masters how, and leaves what and why to the gods…the sign of the amateur is over-glorification of and preoccupation with mystery. The professional shuts up. She doesn’t talk about it. She does her work” (pg. 78)

“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 our own”. (pg. 38)

Check it out, take what you like, and leave what you don’t like, or if you are luckily moving along without any obstacles, keep on plugging away.