One of the most powerful books I have read in my personal development journey and have my clients read during the coaching process, is a book called The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield.
This is the Secret Enemy That's Keeping You From Success
Jan 03, 2020
This book reveals an enemy we all face called resistance. Every single person faces resistance and, most of the time, doesn't even recognize it. When I first read through those pages, it was like I experienced freedom from viewing myself as the enemy while I struggled to meet a goal or to get where I wanted to go in life, and I was able to shift my perspective to view resistance as the enemy.
Let me fill you in on what resistance is by sharing an excerpt from the book. You can read a more in-depth excerpt here.
“Most of us have two lives: the life we live and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance. Have you ever brought home a treadmill and let it gather dust in the attic? Ever quit a diet, a course of yoga meditation practice? Have you ever bailed out on a call to embark upon a spiritual practice? Dedicate yourself to a humanitarian calling? Commit your life to the service of others? Have you ever wanted to be a mother, a doctor, an advocate for the weak and helpless, to run for office, crusade for the planet, campaign for world peace, or to preserve the environment? Late at night, have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, and realized who you are meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn't write or a painter who doesn't paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what resistance is. Look in your heart. Unless I'm crazy, right now a still small voice is piping up telling you as it has ten thousand times before the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you and, unless I'm crazy, you're no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think resistance isn’t real? Resistance can bury you. Any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity. Or expressed in another way, any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower. Any of these will illicit resistance. Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard or smelled, but it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from a work-in-potential. It's a repelling force. It's negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work. Resistance is not a peripheral opponent. Resistance arises from within. It is self-generated and self-perpetuated. Resistance is the enemy within.”
I don't know about you, but when I first read this, so much came to mind. It was like resistance was no longer disguised because it had finally been brought to light. I felt like I had blinders come off of my eyes. I was able to recognize the energy of resistance that so often surrounded me. Not only that, but I was able to recognize the role that I play in feeding this enemy.
I remember having a client read this book and he said, "Wow! This book allowed everything we have worked on to finally make sense! I'm not the problem and I AM capable of implementing change." For the longest time, he saw himself as the problem that was keeping him from making true change or pursuing what he wanted in life. This realization helped him tackle the true enemy instead of himself.
The end of that excerpt says how resistance is self-generating and self-perpetuated. This means we have power in feeding resistance. Once this recognition takes place, the next step is learning how to fight back. There have been so many times when I needed to do something but came up with a million excuses as to why I couldn't.
Resistance lies to us and tells us we can't or not right now, or “Who am I to do this?” In fact, the more important something is, the more pull we have away from that something. Think about it. When your health is at its worst, you feel anything but motivation to get yourself in shape. When an opportunity comes your way that is new and exciting, but also maybe risky, you come up with a million reasons why it's not the right time or maybe not the right opportunity for you.
But now when I find myself falling into this trap, I stop and face the resistance, and I support my clients while they face it as well.
Sometimes I even call the enemy by name. I say things to it like, “Resistance, I understand you're trying to protect me from possible failure but I don’t need that from you. I'm going to do this anyway, and I won't allow your invasion in my life.”
Resistance and Procrastination
I feel most prone to resistance when I procrastinate. I used to be a world-class procrastinator. I think I spent more nights in college pulling all-nighters trying to cram in studying than I did sleeping. But soon, I realized that I was never getting things done to my highest potential because I wasn't giving myself the amount of time I needed to do my best.
When you cram in your work you are left with whatever amount of good you can do in a short amount of time instead of leaving yourself enough time to tweak the good and make it great.
Here's another excerpt from the book about procrastination.
“Procrastination is the most common manifestation of resistance because it's the easiest to rationalize. We don't tell ourselves, "I'm never going to write my symphony.’" Instead, we say "I'm going to write my symphony, I'm just going to start tomorrow."
We tell ourselves, “Oh I'm good because I follow my dreams. I'm on the journey towards following them right now. It's just that I will have to start tomorrow.” But that's letting resistance win. Stop self-identifying as a procrastinator, and start doing something about it. Acknowledge procrastination as a win for resistance and fight back. One way I fight back is by forcing myself to sit and write on the days when I don't feel inspired. Sure I may not write the best content, but it still exercises my writing muscles, and no one has to read what I wrote on those days. I write because there will be a day when I do feel inspired, but I might make an excuse or end up being too busy so the idea passes. That can't happen if I make a habit out of writing.
Another way to fight resistance is to simply acknowledge its presence. Think about it––when there is a dark cloud hanging overhead, but you never look up, you'll never be able to know to step out from under it. But when you recognize it and name it, you can walk away.
Learn to ask your resistance questions like:
1. What is it I'm trying to escape from?
2. What scares me about this?
3. Am I running to find comfort because I'm resisting something I should be doing instead?
When you can answer these questions, you will learn more about what triggers this feeling inside of you and how to fight the war on resistance. Don't expect this enemy to go away completely, and honestly, once you tackle it one way, it shows up with a new disguise. But what you CAN focus on is recognition and your response to resistance. You can take time to notice the enemy for what it is, and you have control over your response.
You are not alone.
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If you are looking for support to recognize and fight against resistance, that is just one of the many things I offer as a coach. Let me help you get out from under the enemy of success and help you create a game plan to give you the victory over your resistance. Click here for more information about my services.
