Overcoming resistance

In the book “The War of Art”, Steven Pressfield talks about this thing called “Resistance” with a capital R.

Resistance is your enemy. It does not want you to succeed. Resistance is the voice in your head giving you every reason not to do the thing you want to do. It could be anything - big, little, and everything in between.

The bigger the dream brewing inside of us, the bigger the voice of Resistance.

Pressfield uses Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

“For every action (our Dream), there is an equal and opposite Reaction (Resistance).”

Big Resistance = Big Dream

In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius says “The impediment to action, advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Author and Stoicism expert, Ryan Holiday simplified this in the title of his book "The Obstacle Is the Way".

For example, you interviewed for your dream job and didn’t get it.

You could just give up and call it quits.

OR

You could see it as motivation to develop new skills, network with influential individuals, or explore alternative career paths.

In the end, what initially seemed like an obstacle becomes the catalyst for your personal and professional development.

Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team. You know the rest of the story.

We face all kinds of Resistance and Obstacles in our lives that intend to inhibit our endeavors.

When you have this epiphany, and truly understand the devious goal of Resistance and that opportunities are disguised as Obstacles - nothing can stop you from achieving your big dreams, your little dreams, and everything in between.

Run the hills.

(Photo from Steven Pressfield’s newest book “The Daily Pressfield”. Illustration by Victor Juhasz)