The Fight
I have my first major deadline for the book in 12 days and every non-work moment will be poured into it. Luckily I’m about 80% finished.
However, I’m struggling to keep going.
This is the nature of Resistance. Just when you think you might be nearing the edge of the woods. BAM!
Steve Pressfield in his famous and oft-quoted manual on fighting Resistance, The War of Art, talks about being 99% finished with his first novel when Resistance reared its ugly head…and won. He writes about the subsequent collapse of many meaningful things including his marriage.
When I find myself toe to toe with the beast of Resistance, I find it best to confess.
Here goes.
For me, Resistance looks mostly like fear. I’m afraid it won’t sell and the publisher will be disappointed and will never speak to me again. I’m afraid the writing itself isn’t any good and the few that do read it will respond with hatred, or worse, apathy. I’m afraid that my biggest desire, which is to convince people that the beauty they can make is worth the work won’t be clear or inspiring enough.
Resistance also looks like distraction for me.
Yes! Another email to read and respond to! Don’t mind if I do.
A blog to comment on? Of course!
Oh, that’s right, I still need to install my new Apple TV Ruby got me for Father’s Day AND my Twitter feed keeps updating. Hooray!
Distraction is more or less easy to combat. I will put on my big boy pants and focus.
Fear, however is a little more tricky.
Upon hearing my fears of the inevitable downfall of this little book project, my friend Jarrod (who by the way, has a lovely blog which you should be subscribing to and reading daily) said that I better start thinking that what I’m writing is good and meaningful and possibly important for others to hear, or else prepare to enjoy my self-destruction.
Got it.
My wife has said the exact same thing.
Now I turn the conversation over.
Resistance is real. It is coming after you now.
So, tell us…
What does Resistance look like for you today & what are you doing to fight it?
