# Do the Work - [[the-war-of-art|The War of Art, Steven Pressfield]] ## Enemies and Allies > [!caution] Resistance is universal Any act that derives from our higher nature > instead of our lower, any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of > long-term growth, heath, or integrity, will elicit Resistance. > [!danger] Watch out for the Resistance > > - Resistance will reason with you like a lawyer or jam a nine-millimeter in > your face like a stickup man. > - Resistance is always lying an always full of shit. > - The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more > Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it. > - Fear doesn't go away, the battle must be fought anew every day. > - Resistance aims to kill > [!tip] Our Allies > > - Stupidity > - Stubbornness > - Blind faith > - Passion > - Assistance > - Friends and family - Get rid of the fear to emancipate our passion. ## Beginning - Start before you're ready. - A research diet - You're allowed to read three books on your subject, no more. - Let the unconscious do its work. > [!tip] Our Mantra > > - Stay primitive > - Trust the soup > - Swing for the seats > - Be ready for resistance > [!quote] "Steve, God made a single sheet of yellow foolscap exactly the right > length to hold the outline of an entire novel." > > Do not overthink, your story/new business/philanthropic enterprise all boil > down into a single page. > [!quote] There's no such thing as writing, only rewriting. - Three-Act Architecture - Design anything in three acts: start, middle, and end. - What is it about? Know the end state of it, then work backwards. - Distinguish your thoughts and chatter. ==Chatter is resistance.== ## Middle - Anything interesting should have seven or eight major sequences/movements > [!warning] Research can be fun. It can be seductive. That’s its danger. We > need it, we love it. But we must never forget that research can become > Resistance. > > Do research early or late. Don’t stop working. Never do research in prime > working time. - Get to THE END as fast as you can. - Don't stop. Don't look down. Don't think. - Suspend all self-judgement > [!tip] Never doubt the soup. Never say no. The answer is always yes. - Ask yourself what's missing. Then fill that void. - Seven Principles of Resistance - There is an enemy. - This enemy is implacable. - This enemy is inside you. - The enemy is inside you, but it's not you. - The "real you" must duel with the "Resistance you". - Resistance arises second - The opposite of Resistance is assistance. - Two questions raised by Resistance - How bas do you want it? - Why do you want it?