Resistance Personified
/“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”
This wisdom comes from Steven Pressfield in one of my most dog-eared books, The War of Art. The title makes you think it is a book about making art, but it’s really about being human.
Pressfield personifies Resistance as an internal force that shows up whenever we move toward something meaningful, creative, courageous, or growth-producing.
He explains that Resistance speaks to us through procrastination, fear, distraction, self-doubt, and reasonable excuses, all with one goal: to keep us from doing the work that might change us.
He writes, “Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work.”
I re-read this book about once a year when I hit resistance on a writing or creative project. I just pulled it off the shelf again this weekend because I’m noticing resistance regarding my training and prep for walking the Camino de Santiago. I’m trying to walk five to seven miles every day. I have to do early mornings or late evenings to avoid 100 degree temps right now. Every time I lace up my shoes I hear Resistance saying, “you could skip a day, it’s really hot, you can handle 17 miles a day no training needed.” This voice is ridiculous, because I totally need to train, I won’t be able to skip a day in Spain, and there isn’t a not-hot day ahead in the forecast.
For the first ten minutes of each walk, Resistance is chatty: you could only do a few miles today because you are doing 15 on Saturday, you seem tired, your knee hurts, let’s cut this one short, it’s too hot, you wore the wrong thing, no one will know if you turn around now. Ten minutes of this, but I keep walking and then I notice it slowly quiets and lets go of me. It eventually gives up. Around the 15 minute mark, I notice it’s gone and I’m not suffering anymore. I’m enjoying nature, my body has loosened up, I remember I love walking, the book I’m listening to just got really good, and life is fun again.
Resistance lets go eventually, we just have to keep going and not let it stop us.
This walking goal has reminded me that I often want to feel like doing something before I begin to do it. But that’s backwards. I have to start moving first and then the good feelings come after that.
Often our motivation comes after momentum begins.
Your version of my walking might be to make the call, start the project, have the conversation, or do the thing you’ve been avoiding. Take a small first step, let the Resistance be chatty, keep going, and you’ll be so glad you did.
Pressfield reminds us that the more something matters to your development, creativity, purpose, or sense of calling, the more likely strong Resistance will show up and try to stop you.
Resistance isn’t a sign you shouldn’t do the thing, it’s actually a sign you are doing something important.
Here are some things to ponder:
Where is resistance showing up in your life right now?
What does your resistance sound like? What excuses, stories, or reasons does it give me?
Is your resistance giving you useful information, or is it simply trying to keep you comfortable?
What are you waiting to “feel ready” to do?
What is the smallest first step you could take?
When have you pushed through initial resistance before and been glad that you did?
What is waiting for you on the other side of this resistance?
This week, notice the moments when resistance says “let’s not do this.” Instead of giving it any power to stop you, choose one tiny action and do it anyway. Then after a few minutes, notice how you feel as you press on.
Life can get really small, boring, and miserable if we let resistance win.
You are stronger than it is.
Let’s keep moving forward,
