The Mind-Set of the Artist’s Journey

When we embark on the artist’s journey, we take control of our lives.

Things that we did before, we no longer permit ourselves to do.

We no longer demean ourselves. We cease making excuses. Our amateur life is over. We’re warriors now. We are fathers and mothers, even if only to ourselves and to our work.

When we embark on the artist’s journey, we drop out of the gang. We no longer drive drunk or show up late for class or let ourselves get fat. Those days are behind us.

We’ve got work to do.

We have lost time to make up for.

The mind-set of the artist’s journey is the mind-set of the professional.

DO THE WORK

Steve shows you the predictable Resistance points that every writer hits in a work-in-progress and then shows you how to deal with each one of these sticking points. This book shows you how to keep going with your work.

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THE AUTHENTIC SWING

A short book about the writing of a first novel: for Steve, The Legend of Bagger Vance. Having failed with three earlier attempts at novels, here's how Steve finally succeeded.

The-Authentic-Swing

NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T

Steve shares his "lessons learned" from the trenches of the five different writing careers—advertising, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction, and self-help. This is tradecraft. An MFA in Writing in 197 pages.

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TURNING PRO

Amateurs have amateur habits. Pros have pro habits. When we turn pro, we give up the comfortable life but we find our power. Steve answers the question, "How do we overcome Resistance?"

Turning-Pro

42 Comments

  1. Garry on August 14, 2024 at 1:43 am

    Sublime, Steve …. Thanks.

  2. Peter Brockwell on August 14, 2024 at 1:59 am

    OMG this is such a simple statement from Steve but so on point. It’s almost poetry.

    And I think we’re never really ‘done’ are we? If we think for a moment that we’ve ‘got it’ that’s when Resistance sneaks back in.

    I feel like I have to check in with myself each day “Am I a professional today? Or have I reverted back to amateurism…again…”

    Peter

    PS. I got the Camellia oil out yesterday to gave Steve’s pugio its six-monthly oiling. That is one beautiful piece of work, and I was reminded again of winning it at a time when life really sucked and I needed some kind of ‘win’ to come along. And it did. It felt like the cosmos somehow saying ‘Stick in there, it’ll be fine.” The pugio plus all the HB books Steve & Diana sent with it, together of course with my signed 1st editions of Government Cheese and The Daily Pressfield, are cherished possessions.

  3. Anonymous on August 14, 2024 at 1:59 am

    Yes, every moment, yes.
    Courage, Endurance and Grace.
    Thank you

  4. Jeff Rakestraw on August 14, 2024 at 2:19 am

    wow, Thanks Mr Steve.
    You really do know just how to light the mind.

  5. Douglas Johnson on August 14, 2024 at 2:55 am

    Holy shit.

  6. Jackie on August 14, 2024 at 4:14 am

    Like a prayer. Amen.

    • Deb on August 14, 2024 at 5:36 am

      Yes, Jackie. It is like a prayer. Like a commitment we all have to make to God, to ourselves, and for the sake of those who will read our work.

      • Anonymous on August 14, 2024 at 6:26 am

        By god do you mean Steve?

  7. Jill on August 14, 2024 at 4:20 am

    1 zillion per cent TRUE.

  8. Chris on August 14, 2024 at 4:26 am

    So beautiful and much needed. I appreciate you.
    Much love,
    Chris

  9. Tolis on August 14, 2024 at 4:35 am

    The Profesdional, dear Steve. The conscious Pro against the necessary one. The one plays for Self, the other plays for money.

    Strangely, money seem to me to have the power to support the Self. Not only money and their byproducts, but also the rigorous state in which one is when pursuing money, whether with the form of salary or passive income or treasure hunt. How I hate all that. Yet you say it best: the mentality of the Professional gives that state of mind we need. That hard head/hat mentality.

    Damn, the Self Pro to equal the Necessity Pro but not merge to it. To not even look up to it in the most delicate ways. To hate it. To despise it. That seems to be a key.

    Whatever written is still sh*t and only once in a while you get a sentence or two, and even those the next morning are usually sh*t. Thats not a book, thats a swamp.

    We should not write. We should hurt, and our hurt may mean something for humanity.

    I guess.

  10. Gwen Abitz on August 14, 2024 at 4:48 am

    LOVE THIS, Steve. THANK YOU

  11. Joel Mathews on August 14, 2024 at 5:04 am

    Thank you Steve. Even Olympic athletes have coaches. Very helpful.

  12. Deb on August 14, 2024 at 5:33 am

    Good Morning, Steve,

    This reminds me of Julia Cameron and her thoughts written in The Artist’s Way and Write for Life. You share the same heart, I think! Thanks for confirming what is already in my heart. I enjoy your Writing Wednesdays so much!

    Blessings to you,
    Deb

    • Brian Spiteri on August 14, 2024 at 5:42 am

      I have begun the war on Resistance because of Pressfield. Knowing you have an opponent seems important when you plan to wage war. The thing about war, is it is very difficult to predict the conclusion. My curiosity about that is one of my drivers and this professional approach to waging war, to my mind, is the most effective way win.

  13. Kate Stanton on August 14, 2024 at 5:58 am

    AMEN. Schedule that creative time in every single day around work and family — it is non-negotiable. Just show up. Take action. Stop thinking about taking action and just do it. Progress over perfection.

    BECAUSE…

    “We’ve got work to do.

    We have lost time to make up for.

    The mind-set of the artist’s journey is the mind-set of the professional.”

  14. Fernando Bérdi on August 14, 2024 at 6:30 am

    I need to listen and talk to myself. Thank you very much

  15. Wayne Johnson on August 14, 2024 at 6:51 am

    Thank you. Right on! Taped it on the wall.

  16. Laine on August 14, 2024 at 7:05 am

    Sounds like the evolutionary process of my own “becoming” these past 12-18 months, Steve-O—“Turning Pro” makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE in one’s mindset, which is then inflected into every other aspect of one’s life… LET’S GO!!!

  17. Peter B HEADLEY on August 14, 2024 at 7:06 am

    Very very poignant, thanks.

  18. Adèle on August 14, 2024 at 7:28 am

    I can feel that happening right now. No one else is going to do it. Just me.
    Thanks for walking beside me and talking out loud!

  19. Dorie on August 14, 2024 at 7:45 am

    Excellent, Steve! We are fathers and mothers; I accept total responsibility for turning pro in all that is in my power to do.

  20. LauraLee Pritt on August 14, 2024 at 8:19 am

    Just what I needed to hear today…
    So true so true. I needed a little reinforcement.

  21. Marvin on August 14, 2024 at 8:21 am

    I’m set! Ready, set, go!

  22. William Boden on August 14, 2024 at 9:10 am

    As David Essex once sang, “Rock On.”
    Well said!

  23. George Carpenter IV on August 14, 2024 at 9:17 am

    Thank you. I would love another Turning Pro. Read all of Steve’s nonfiction canon and that one is my favorite. This feels pulled in an even more distilled form from its pages. Thank you Mr. Pressfield. You have continued to inspire me over the years and even though I do not comment much. I along with many others I am sure are very grateful.

  24. GHE on August 14, 2024 at 9:38 am

    I love most of this and don’t want my comment to overshadow the good intentions behind it, but I need to say this: I found the phrase “or let ourselves get fat” off-putting and unnecessary. I am not fat but have friends who are and who struggle mightily because it isn’t always a choice. Please realize how these words might land with someone who has a lot of trauma and other challenges around their body. Frankly, I’m surprised at the visceral response I had to these words. So I had to speak up about them.

    • Rebecca Frost on August 14, 2024 at 7:00 pm

      Agreed! And fat is powerful. It’s just not in fashion now.

  25. Carl Francis Penders on August 14, 2024 at 11:30 am

    Couldn’t agree more! I too will tape it on my wall!

  26. Julie on August 14, 2024 at 2:35 pm

    Amen!

  27. Aaron C on August 14, 2024 at 9:01 pm

    I was doing OK for a couple of weeks, my longest “streak” so far, I’m sorry to say. I thought I had turned a corner. This week (and today, in particular) was rough, though. Really rough. Felt lost, and wasn’t trusting myself (again). And then this post arrived exactly when I needed it. Thank you.

    I am a warrior, saving myself.

  28. Karen Møller on August 16, 2024 at 12:16 am

    Thank you ever so, Stepdad. 🙂 <3
    Sincerely,
    Karen

  29. Jim on August 16, 2024 at 11:02 am

    Life is a high wall that blocks the love of art and trying to take the first step. The wall of Resistance has been built by me, one brick at a time. Thank you for your ongoing encouragement.

  30. Michael J. Lotus on August 17, 2024 at 1:45 pm

    “We have lost time to make up for.”

    This.

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    I enjoy your writing so much that I’m bookmarking your page to read more later. Comprehensive Insulation for Homes

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    I was able to gain a lot of useful information from reading your article. I love playing vex 3 games because they are engaging and help me relieve stress, you should try it.

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