5 Quotes From Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art” To Help You Win Your Creative Battle
This book has become my creative bible
With the landscape of content consumption changing daily, I often ask myself, ‘What’s the value of a book?’
What has allowed such an archaic form of learning to stand the test of time?
If you think about it, most books are really just a handful of ideas —reiterated over story. And even the most insightful ideas can be summarized by a short video clip or blog post.
Growing up, I remember being astounded after scoring 80% on my final 10th-grade exam on Homer’s “The Odyssey” — without ever reading it. I merely skimmed the “Sparknotes” summary version the night before.
But, when it comes to life-changing ideas, it’s often not about the words themselves — but how they speak to you.
That’s the power of storytelling.
And why books, however they are consumed, will continue to stand the test of time.
Here are 5 quotes from Steven Pressfield’s award-winning book, “The War of Art” that have changed the way I look at writing, creativity, and have helped me earn more money from my words.
I hope they have a similar effect on you.
This book has become my creative bible.
I’m not religious. And being insatiably curious, I rarely read books more than once.
But, I’ve found the lessons in Steven’s book to speak to me differently each time I read them. As if my brain picks out the pieces most relevant to my present reality.
It’s become a guiding light in an ever-distracting world.
Distractions Steven defines as “Resistance”.
Whether it’s lack of confidence, too much input from technology, or emotional baggage, all creative journeys are filled with Resistance. And as such, there have been countless books written on the topic:
- “The Artist’s Way”, by Julia Cameron, describes Resistance as neglecting your inner artist.
- “The Secret”, by Ronda Byrne, teaches a way to break through Resistance by manifesting your goals.
Steven’s approach is much simpler — rooted in everyday action.
He describes Resistance as an entity that must be defeated daily through consistent effort. That by simply sitting down to work on your craft you can defeat it — turning the corner from amateur to professional.
And, with so many great one-liners packed into the 3-hour read, it’s become a creative bible for me.
A back-pocket tool to clear the fog when life gets hazy.
5 quotes from Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art”.
I first read Steven’s book in August of 2022.
Since then, I’ve read and re-read the book 3 times. I now keep the audiobook version saved on my phone and listen to it whenever I feel lost.
Each time, I learn something new and collect a few new quotes. The following are 5 that spoke to me during my most recent reading.
I hope 1–2 speak to you as well…
1. “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying”.
Creativity can feel like a dark cloud at times — with life’s inevitable distractions drowning your budding ideas before they get a chance to blossom.
Never knowing when your creative juices will begin flowing again, it can feel impossible to know when to get started. Steven describes this idea as Resistance rearing its ugly head. That there is, never has been, and never will be a right time to do anything.
But, you can defeat Resistance by simply sitting down and trying each day.
That by focusing on the work, you will inevitably grow.
2. “We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause.”
In Chapter 3 of “The War of Art”, titled “Beyond Resistance”, Steven defines a “hack artist” as:
“Someone who second-guesses their audience… he doesn’t ask himself what’s in his own heart, he asks what the market is looking for.”
Money is a huge motivator for most people. But, the creative muse is not motivated by money — nor should you be.
Creativity is personal, yet can be shared by many.
And, by focusing on what matters to you, you can create something that matters. Period.
As cliche as it is to say, true fulfillment comes from enjoying the journey of creation. Not what you have created. This quote helps remind me of what’s important — the work.
3. “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
It’s funny — we’re born who we are.
Yet, somewhere along the way, we lose sight of it. And, often spend the remainder of our lives trying to re-discover it.
Your experiences shape you— but it’s important not to let them break you.
The bond between you and yourself is a sacred one. So, instead of sacrificing who you are to get what you want, embrace yourself. And your current place in life.
Ironically, it’s often the fastest way to get to where you’d like to go.
4. “Rule of thumb: the more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”
This is the most powerful quote from Steven’s book — and every time I hear it, it warms me with a flood of reassurance.
We all fear the unknown — and cling to what is comfortable.
It’s why so many capable people never achieve their goals. And why taking the first step toward anything is always the hardest.
This quote reminds me that Resistance is merely a reflection of how much you care. On those inevitable days when you resist moving forward, know that you’re headed in the right direction.
5. “The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.”
Resistance is a siren calling you to live in complacency.
It’s attractive, alluring, and if you let it, will gladly sit and watch you to waste your life away without ever taking action.
And, as much as you push against it, it will push back — always offering you valid excuses.
We experience Resistance as fear:
- Fear of failing
- Fear of succeeding
In reality, what we fear most is change.
As fear is inherent in all of us, it’s impossible to defeat for good. So, we all must learn to live despite it.
It’s this idea that separates what Steven categorizes as:
- The amateur — those who answer the siren’s call.
- The professional — those who create their own.
By sitting down to work and ignoring Resistance’s fearful calls, you’ve won the battle — and created something beautiful.
Momentum.
“Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it.”
Final thoughts: if you never read this book, read this.
Book recommendations are a dime a dozen.
Although I’m currently resonating with Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art”, you may not. And, you may never.
It’s why I love words — they act as a constant whereas our interpretation of them is ever-changing.
So, if you never read this book, read these 5 summarized lessons, instead:
- Create from the heart — your heart
2. Focus on creating — not what you create
3. Resistance never goes away — but it can be defeated daily
4. You become a professional simply by trying, consistently
5. The more you resist something, the more it means to you (and, the more sure you can be that you must pursue it)
And finally, one bonus brain seed to hopefully blossom and spark positive change in your life:
“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us.”
Hi, I’m Hudson. I hope you enjoyed this story. If you did, consider becoming a Medium member. For $5 a month, you’ll get unlimited access to stories like this one. Plus, you’ll be helping support me as a writer, as I will receive a portion of your membership fee at no extra cost to you. Click here to get started. (+1,000 karma points). ❤️🙏