Steven Pressfield’s books are tiny, but mighty inspirational for creative types like me. I personally adore how he eliminates much of the preamble, discussion and repetition that other writers deem necessary and which tend to bury the all-important point. He delivers a short, no bullshit form of wisdom that prevents me from hiding from myself or getting wrapped up in looking for faulty logic in what I’m reading. Pressfield just says what I need to hear without all of the nuts and fruitcake around it. Brevity like this that retains meaning is deceptively simple, but in fact requires great depth of knowledge and immense skill. I thank him for it.
4 Good quotes from the book:
“Any time I tried to take the intelligent course, i.e., get a real job, I became so depressed I couldn’t stand it.”
“At some point the practice of our vocation moves from being a challenge that we must will ourselves into accepting and enacting to become simply…our life.”
“This is the job. There is no other job. This is the job.”
“When you’re tired, stop.”
Life wisdom obtained:
It is possible to be 100% committed 10% of the time.
The ability to self-reinforce is more important than talent.
Things are not as bad as you are imagining them.
Show up in a predictable fashion so the muse knows where and when to find you.
Must read chapters:
Book 6
Book 8
Will I keep it on my bookshelf or donate it? Definitely a keeper for when I need a kick in the ass to keep going.
