Equal and Opposite
We spoke last week about Resistance “coming second.”
We said that self-doubt/fear/procrastination/distraction/perfectionism etc. only arise in response to (and reaction against) a DREAM, i.e., the book we dream of writing, the podcast we want to start, the creative enterprise we dream of initiating.
There’s a corollary to this truth:
The degree of Resistance we feel will be EQUAL AND OPPOSITE to the power and importance of our dream.
Little dream = little Resistance.
Big dream = big Resistance.
The visual we cited last week was a tree in the middle of a sunny meadow. The tree (our Dream) inevitably casts a shadow (the fear/self-doubt etc. we feel to pursuing that dream.)
The bigger the tree, the bigger the shadow.
How does it help us to understand this? Because when we find ourselves feeling MASSIVE RESISTANCE to some creative project, we can be certain that that project is VERY IMPORTANT to us and to the evolution of our soul.
Big Resistance = Big Dream.
In other words, the worse we feel … the better.
Resistance senses that our Dream is important, that it’s critical to our development … so it marshals all its dark resources to stop us from pursuing it.
We can use that to encourage ourselves. The bigger the shadow, the bigger the Dream.
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.
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.
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.
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?"
Resistance uses its massive size to intimidate and scare us away from the holy arena of artists. It doesn’t want us anywhere near the ring of champions. So it frustrates or frightens us away from our calling. But if we enter the arena and stay just enough, Resistance will yield!
…I meant to say “stay just long enough”.
As a contrarian, “the worse we feel… the better,” make me and my muse smile.
How do we get through it? We don’t. It has to get through us. Release everything that blocks it, from the core. Know you’re free of it. Get it out! Your project-your work. G-d, the source, or the Creator is working through you.
Thanks, Steve. You may never know how many writers, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and enlightened humans you have helped on their journeys. Count this one. Your words of encouragement and insight help to push and pull me through the tough spots. May we all be able to give thanks and to pass on a blessing to others.
I sometimes think that resistance cuts deep. It make it feel like you’re injured in some way. The I remembered a quote I heard…The light only enters through a wound.