How to learn from resistance

“If the artist does not throw himself into his work like a soldier into the breach, unreflectingly, and if in that crater he does not dig like a miner buried under a full of rock… the work will never be completed.” — Honore de Balzac

“The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions.”
― Alfred Adler

Taking any step towards a goal is often accompanied by a temptation to get yourself out of it. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to write an essay, start a business, clean out your car, or go for a jog.

In this moment, a small wedge emerges between you and life. This is the little voice in your ear, telling you to go back to the couch. It tells you there is no point in this effort. You won’t do the job well. Failure is dangerous. Don’t you have laundry to fold?

This concept is the focus of Stephen Pressfield’s famous self-help book “The War of Art”, which dubs “resistance” as a shapeshifting energy of sabotage to stay comfy and avoid failure. His solution? Don’t wait for motivation. Do the work, and let inspiration ensue from disciplined effort.

Pressfield notes that the mere feeling of resistance towards an action is a sign that we are avoiding important work. I have found this is usually correct, and therefore advice worth considering.

However, I’ve found that there is another important reason people feel resistance. We really did pick the wrong goal in the first place. Possible reasons for doing so include getting attention, money, or choosing something because failure seems unlikely.

As Schopenhauer wrote, “It is not the struggle which produces misery, it is the mistaken aims and the low ideals”.

Sometimes we may go down a path that is the complete opposite of what is right for us. More confusing is when we misdirect our work in an attempt to meet these altered goals.

When you aren’t sure if your resistance is due to avoiding important work or a sign that you’re on the wrong path, that is a fine time to step back and reflect on your motivations.

Why is this goal important to you?

Does pursuing this action mean you are overcoming fear — or giving into it?

This moment of analysis should be temporary. Self-examination is an important place to visit, but you don’t want to live there.

And nine times out of ten, Pressfield is probably right. The purpose of this felt resistance is to relieve pressure, and to let ourselves off the hook from a difficult challenge. To stay comfortable.

So if, after self-reflection, you still feel unsure? Work unreflectingly. Do not look inward, do not examine, do not analyze. Throw yourself.