Do The Work is Steven Pressfield's follow-up to The War Of Art, in which he teaches you how to overcome resistance, the driving force behind procrastination. Resistance, the inner drive that allows you to delay work even when it is most vital to you, is his fundamental topic across these novels. Do The Work guides you through the process of really overcoming resistance, whereas the previous book defines it in all of its forms.
You must develop and evolve in order to overcome barriers and pursue your creative aspirations. That's how you'll be able to realize your untapped potential. Friends and family, on theother hand, typically like you just the way you are, so any attempt to alter will clash with how they see you. You must be willing to fight the impulse to stay the same.
If your work is vital to you, you will never be able to overcome your dread of doing it. We always believe that if we practice enough, we'll improve to the point where we'll never have an issue with our work again. That, however, is not the case. If you actually care about your job, you'll be concerned about your performance at all times, which is a positive sign that you're still attempting to improve. So, instead of stopping when you're terrified, keep going despite your fears. After all, this is how courage is defined.
Don't try to act and reflect at the same time. When is the most inconvenient time to change a blog post? Right after you finished writing it. It will be impossible to objectively reflect on your job because you have just completed it and should feel proud of what you have accomplished. But, before passing judgment on your work, it's critical to give oneself some temporal and physical distance. I'll even go a step farther and advise the following: When in doubt, don't think about it. That's why it’s good to normally just write, hit publish, then immediately start writing again. Take neither success nor failure too seriously. It is not about your own worth when your project has a problem or a flaw. It's a problem that has to be solved. If something in your book or project isn't functioning, consider what's lacking. And keep asking until you've gotten to the bottom of the issue.
The most important reward for your efforts should be your work. Resistance is a dreadful thing to deal with. So, when you're feeling down and about to give up, take a look at what you've already accomplished and let it motivate you to do even more. Then pose two questions to yourself:
- How badly do I want it?
- Why do I desire this?
You should be completely dedicated to it and feel as if you have no choice but to do it - because that is the type of task worth pursuing.