I sat on my book idea for two years but couldn’t write a single word, and it took a mushroom ceremony to show me why.
Steven Pressfield is the author behind The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. After spending the past few years writing my own first book, I had a lot of questions for him about what actually gets in the way of creative work.
In this episode, we talk about the difference between writing for ego and writing in service of something larger. I told him about the fear of success that crept in once my manuscript got close to being done, the dread of asking people for endorsements, and the strange grief of finishing a project you’ve lived inside for years.
He shared things I didn’t expect. The War of Art was a 10-year slow burn. He’s been "terrified every minute" of his career and never gave in. He believes resistance is a real force with one job: to stop you. And he writes ninety pages into his next book before the current one ships.
Read: The Arcadian: A Novel by Steven Pressfield: https://amzn.to/4ufrFhS
You’ll learn:
[00:00] Introduction
[15:45] Two kinds of loneliness, and how spiritual grounding resolves both
[21:25] Why writing alone doesn’t feel lonely, and how the muse shows up in the creative space
[35:50] Resistance, shadow careers, and addiction as misrouted creativity
[57:30] Steven’s pre-writing ritual: invoking the muse and checking ego at the door
[1:05:41] Why over-editing is a form of resistance, and how to know when a work is done
[1:08:45] Building a body of work instead of betting everything on one book
[1:10:37] Creative discipline: why Steven distrusts breaks and why the muse likes knowing where to find you
[1:15:06] Losing his home in the Malibu fire: detachment, grief, and what the goddess still has to offer
[1:23:38] The Arcadian: karma, reincarnation, and whether the universe has a mechanism for justice
Resources Mentioned:
Read: A Horse Named Lonesome: Tales and Teachings to Reclaim Connection, Transcend Separation, and Discover the Divine Within by Luke Storey | https://www.lukestorey.com/lonesome
Read: Govt Cheese: A Memoir by Steven Pressfield | https://amzn.to/427Vl4E
Read: Animal Power: 100 Animals to Energize Your Life and Awaken Your Soul by Alyson Charles | https://amzn.to/4uskjId
Read: The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield | https://amzn.to/4cWMFmJ
Read: The Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield | https://amzn.to/4uqtoRN
Read: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life by Steven Pressfield | https://amzn.to/4cLIZFz
The Joe Rogan Experience #1901 – Steven Pressfield | https://joeroganpodcast.org/episodes/1901-steven-pressfield
Oprah’s Super Soul #164 – Steven Pressfield: Unlock Your Creative Genius | https://www.oprah.com/own-podcasts/steven-pressfield-unlock-your-creative-genius
Read: The Odyssey by Homer and T. E. Lawrence | https://amzn.to/495PiBm
Read: Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorized Biography of T.E. Lawrence by Jeremy Wilson | https://amzn.to/4eVhIli
Full show notes at https://lukestorey.com/pressfield2
Related The Life Stylist Episodes:
Steven Pressfield: Overcoming Resistance to Discover Your Creative Genius | https://bit.ly/EP363
The Heart/Mind Connection & Supernatural Healing With Dr. Joe Dispenza | https://bit.ly/EP259
Find more from Steven:
Steven Pressfield | https://stevenpressfield.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/steven_pressfield | https://www.facebook.com/StevePressfield | https://x.com/SPressfield | https://www.tiktok.com/@spressfield
Find more from Luke:
Luke Storey | https://www.instagram.com/lukestorey/ | https://www.facebook.com/lukecstorey/ | https://x.com/MrLukeStorey | https://www.youtube.com/lukestorey | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrlukestorey
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