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The Daily Pressfield: A Teaching a Day from the Author of the War of Art
Want to finish your novel, your symphony, your start-up, your diet, your fitness regime, your course in spiritual advancement? THE DAILY PRESSFIELD is inspiration, motivation, wisdom, encouragement. It's 365 kicks-in-the-butt or pats-on-the-back from the million-selling author of The War of Art and Turning Pro.
474 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2023
211 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Steven Pressfield
90 books5,916 followersI was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in 1943 to a Navy father and mother.
I graduated from Duke University in 1965.
In January of 1966, when I was on the bus leaving Parris Island as a freshly-minted Marine, I looked back and thought there was at least one good thing about this departure. "No matter what happens to me for the rest of my life, no one can ever send me back to this freakin' place again."
Forty years later, to my surprise and gratification, I am far more closely bound to the young men of the Marine Corps and to all other dirt-eating, ground-pounding outfits than I could ever have imagined.
GATES OF FIRE is one reason. Dog-eared paperbacks of this tale of the ancient Spartans have circulated throughout platoons of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan since the first days of the invasions. E-mails come in by hundreds. GATES OF FIRE is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading list. It is taught at West Point and Annapolis and at the Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico. TIDES OF WAR is on the curriculum of the Naval War College.
From 2nd Battalion/6th Marines, which calls itself "the Spartans," to ODA 316 of the Special Forces, whose forearms are tattooed with the lambda of Lakedaemon, today's young warriors find a bond to their ancient precursors in the historical narratives of these novels.
My struggles to earn a living as a writer (it took seventeen years to get the first paycheck) are detailed in my 2002 book, THE WAR OF ART.
I have worked as an advertising copywriter, schoolteacher, tractor-trailer driver, bartender, oilfield roustabout and attendant in a mental hospital. I have picked fruit in Washington state and written screenplays in Tinseltown.
With the publication of THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE in 1995, I became a writer of books once and for all.
My writing philosophy is, not surprisingly, a kind of warrior code — internal rather than external — in which the enemy is identified as those forms of self-sabotage that I have labeled "Resistance" with a capital R (in THE WAR OF ART) and the technique for combatting these foes can be described as "turning pro."
I believe in previous lives.
I believe in the Muse.
I believe that books and music exist before they are written and that they are propelled into material being by their own imperative to be born, via the offices of those willing servants of discipline, imagination and inspiration, whom we call artists. My conception of the artist's role is a combination of reverence for the unknowable nature of "where it all comes from" and a no-nonsense, blue-collar demystification of the process by which this mystery is approached. In other words, a paradox.
There's a recurring character in my books named Telamon, a mercenary of ancient days. Telamon doesn't say much. He rarely gets hurt or wounded. And he never seems to age. His view of the profession of arms is a lot like my conception of art and the artist:
"It is one thing to study war, and another to live the warrior's life."
I graduated from Duke University in 1965.
In January of 1966, when I was on the bus leaving Parris Island as a freshly-minted Marine, I looked back and thought there was at least one good thing about this departure. "No matter what happens to me for the rest of my life, no one can ever send me back to this freakin' place again."
Forty years later, to my surprise and gratification, I am far more closely bound to the young men of the Marine Corps and to all other dirt-eating, ground-pounding outfits than I could ever have imagined.
GATES OF FIRE is one reason. Dog-eared paperbacks of this tale of the ancient Spartans have circulated throughout platoons of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan since the first days of the invasions. E-mails come in by hundreds. GATES OF FIRE is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading list. It is taught at West Point and Annapolis and at the Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico. TIDES OF WAR is on the curriculum of the Naval War College.
From 2nd Battalion/6th Marines, which calls itself "the Spartans," to ODA 316 of the Special Forces, whose forearms are tattooed with the lambda of Lakedaemon, today's young warriors find a bond to their ancient precursors in the historical narratives of these novels.
My struggles to earn a living as a writer (it took seventeen years to get the first paycheck) are detailed in my 2002 book, THE WAR OF ART.
I have worked as an advertising copywriter, schoolteacher, tractor-trailer driver, bartender, oilfield roustabout and attendant in a mental hospital. I have picked fruit in Washington state and written screenplays in Tinseltown.
With the publication of THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE in 1995, I became a writer of books once and for all.
My writing philosophy is, not surprisingly, a kind of warrior code — internal rather than external — in which the enemy is identified as those forms of self-sabotage that I have labeled "Resistance" with a capital R (in THE WAR OF ART) and the technique for combatting these foes can be described as "turning pro."
I believe in previous lives.
I believe in the Muse.
I believe that books and music exist before they are written and that they are propelled into material being by their own imperative to be born, via the offices of those willing servants of discipline, imagination and inspiration, whom we call artists. My conception of the artist's role is a combination of reverence for the unknowable nature of "where it all comes from" and a no-nonsense, blue-collar demystification of the process by which this mystery is approached. In other words, a paradox.
There's a recurring character in my books named Telamon, a mercenary of ancient days. Telamon doesn't say much. He rarely gets hurt or wounded. And he never seems to age. His view of the profession of arms is a lot like my conception of art and the artist:
"It is one thing to study war, and another to live the warrior's life."
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 12, 2023
I like his other books, but this format doesn't work for his writing.
Some days are teases for the next, others autobiography, others straight copies from his other books, some even felt like a show-off. I usually don't mind this kind of writing, yet in a book meant to be taken in at a slow daily pace, this gets bothersome. I tried a faster pace since the weeks felt coherent at first, but none aside from the first week felt satisfying (I made it to week 11).
Also no space for writing and no bookmark present. Which are not a necessity, but for a book this size, it makes it feel rather empty.
Aside from the well-drawn images (hence the extra star), this felt like a rip-off, especially if you read or own his other books.
Some days are teases for the next, others autobiography, others straight copies from his other books, some even felt like a show-off. I usually don't mind this kind of writing, yet in a book meant to be taken in at a slow daily pace, this gets bothersome. I tried a faster pace since the weeks felt coherent at first, but none aside from the first week felt satisfying (I made it to week 11).
Also no space for writing and no bookmark present. Which are not a necessity, but for a book this size, it makes it feel rather empty.
Aside from the well-drawn images (hence the extra star), this felt like a rip-off, especially if you read or own his other books.
December 8, 2024
To start off, I genuinely love Steven Pressfield's work. The War of Art changed how I approach many things in my life with the realisation of the existence of 'The Resistance'. Many of his other books (including some of his novels) really struck a chord with me, including his biography Govt. Cheese, which is a real inspiration as I reach middle age, trying to accomplish things in my life that seem far away.
This is all to say, I am the target audience for this book, if ever there was one. And, while I did enjoy is to an extent, I think it could have been more. While I am an aspiring writer, I don't think people aspiring in other fields will get anything out of whole sections of the book. Which, I suppose, is the danger of these types of page-a-day affairs. If there is an overarching theme for a few days/weeks, you have to wait days/weeks to get through them, and back to something that is more relevant. You could of course skip them, but this seems to go against the spirit in which these books are written. But I digress...
Let me just say this. The days that hit the mark, really hit the mark. But there were more days that missed. It is to be expected that some days will miss, but not so many I think. So, while I do recommend The Daily Pressfield, especially for Steven Pressfield admirers, perhaps realise that it works as an advice book and ritual, but putting less emphasis on the 'daily' aspect may make it work better.
This is all to say, I am the target audience for this book, if ever there was one. And, while I did enjoy is to an extent, I think it could have been more. While I am an aspiring writer, I don't think people aspiring in other fields will get anything out of whole sections of the book. Which, I suppose, is the danger of these types of page-a-day affairs. If there is an overarching theme for a few days/weeks, you have to wait days/weeks to get through them, and back to something that is more relevant. You could of course skip them, but this seems to go against the spirit in which these books are written. But I digress...
Let me just say this. The days that hit the mark, really hit the mark. But there were more days that missed. It is to be expected that some days will miss, but not so many I think. So, while I do recommend The Daily Pressfield, especially for Steven Pressfield admirers, perhaps realise that it works as an advice book and ritual, but putting less emphasis on the 'daily' aspect may make it work better.
September 21, 2025
So, a friend of mine has been trying to finish writing a book for what feels like half a century. He groans about it constantly. You’d think he was trying to pass a kidney stone made of adjectives. One day, he tells me ‘The Daily Pressfield’ was actually helping him push through and finally finish his book. Naturally, I got curious.
Well, I read it. And now I need a nap. Possibly therapy.
The concept of the book is simple. One tip for each day, to push forward and get your book finished up. But here’s the thing: this book is clearly written for people who want to write... but in reality, actually hate writing. You know the type.
They love the IDEA of being a writer. Maybe even having an author photo with dramatic lighting and a tweed jacket. But the actual act of writing? That’s pure torment. So instead of typing, they scroll Instagram for photos of writing desks with mugs that say “Write Drunk, Edit Sober.”
‘The Daily Pressfield’ is like boot camp for these tortured souls. Each day’s entry is like a grizzled coach barking, “I don’t care if your fingers are bleeding, WRITE!” If this book were a person, it would be the guy yelling at you to “embrace the suck” while you’re throwing up during a CrossFit class.
Now, to be fair, there’s some good stuff here. The core message of the first 50 days or so is solid: stop waiting for inspiration, sit down, and write. That’s great advice. Simple, clear, honest. It’s also the same message, repeated again and again, like a broken record from the School of Tough Love. After a while, I felt like I was being waterboarded with discipline.
What really got me, though, was the martyr complex. Pressfield doesn’t just say writing is hard. He seems to believe it’s a noble, glorious suffering that elevates the soul. Writers, in this book, are practically saints. Saints who bleed ink and moan in beautiful agony. It’s like watching someone chain themselves to a desk and declare, “I do this for you, humanity!”
Look, I’ve been writing acres of copy for most of my life, and I really enjoy it. But I would never call myself “a writer.” Real writers HAVE to write. It lights them up. They don’t need a daily pep talk from a literary drill sergeant. They just do it, joyfully or not, because they can’t not do it. Me? I can stop anytime. I understand my limits, and I have no illusions. I simply do not have the talent to birth the next War and Peace.
Which is why this book just doesn’t land for me. It’s not meant for people who merely enjoy writing and know they’re not cut out for writing a full-blown book. It’s for people who want to be published more than they want to write. That’s fine. But it feels like the wrong solution to a deeper problem.
In fact, I’d argue the world could use fewer writers. I’m a voracious reader myself, and I can’t tell you how many times friends have handed me their manuscripts asking for feedback. Some of them have great ideas. A rare few even have a wee bit of talent. But most haven’t considered the tragic reality that they lack the one thing all good writers need: the actual ability to write.
And now we have this book, which is basically telling all of them, “Keep going. Endure the pain. The world needs your story.” Does it, though? In 2024 alone, 2.4 million new books were published. Meanwhile, 25 percent of people read zero books last year. Here in the US, the share of people who read for fun fell by 40% from 2003 to 2023. It’s like building more amusement parks when no one’s buying tickets.
No doubt, Pressfield’s words have been helpful to many. They even proved useful to my friend, who found motivation in them. But reading The Daily Pressfield felt like enrolling in a year-long guilt trip. Each page served as yet another reminder that not writing meant squandering potential, dodging responsibility, and betraying some sacred creative calling. All the while, the simple pleasure of sipping morning coffee was repeatedly interrupted by entries that read like they were penned by a gym teacher armed with a thesaurus.
Maybe the world doesn’t need another tortured novel that has almost zero chance of being read by anyone but dutiful family and a few friends. Maybe it needs you to take a painting class. Or bake some cookies. Or just go outside and touch grass.
Of course, it’s much more likely that this whole review of mine is just one big crock of cluelessness. Everything I’ve said about The Daily Pressfield is probably the literary equivalent of a guy showing up to a vegan potluck with a bucket of KFC and then loudly complaining that the quinoa tastes like birdseed.
I’m not part of the tribe. I don’t carry the fire. That’s why all the glorious suffering and self-flagellating that Pressfield reveres just sounds, to me, kind of exhausting. So take all my ramblings with a grain of salt. I’m just a guy outside the temple, squinting through the stained glass and wondering why everyone inside is crying and typing.
Well, I read it. And now I need a nap. Possibly therapy.
The concept of the book is simple. One tip for each day, to push forward and get your book finished up. But here’s the thing: this book is clearly written for people who want to write... but in reality, actually hate writing. You know the type.
They love the IDEA of being a writer. Maybe even having an author photo with dramatic lighting and a tweed jacket. But the actual act of writing? That’s pure torment. So instead of typing, they scroll Instagram for photos of writing desks with mugs that say “Write Drunk, Edit Sober.”
‘The Daily Pressfield’ is like boot camp for these tortured souls. Each day’s entry is like a grizzled coach barking, “I don’t care if your fingers are bleeding, WRITE!” If this book were a person, it would be the guy yelling at you to “embrace the suck” while you’re throwing up during a CrossFit class.
Now, to be fair, there’s some good stuff here. The core message of the first 50 days or so is solid: stop waiting for inspiration, sit down, and write. That’s great advice. Simple, clear, honest. It’s also the same message, repeated again and again, like a broken record from the School of Tough Love. After a while, I felt like I was being waterboarded with discipline.
What really got me, though, was the martyr complex. Pressfield doesn’t just say writing is hard. He seems to believe it’s a noble, glorious suffering that elevates the soul. Writers, in this book, are practically saints. Saints who bleed ink and moan in beautiful agony. It’s like watching someone chain themselves to a desk and declare, “I do this for you, humanity!”
Look, I’ve been writing acres of copy for most of my life, and I really enjoy it. But I would never call myself “a writer.” Real writers HAVE to write. It lights them up. They don’t need a daily pep talk from a literary drill sergeant. They just do it, joyfully or not, because they can’t not do it. Me? I can stop anytime. I understand my limits, and I have no illusions. I simply do not have the talent to birth the next War and Peace.
Which is why this book just doesn’t land for me. It’s not meant for people who merely enjoy writing and know they’re not cut out for writing a full-blown book. It’s for people who want to be published more than they want to write. That’s fine. But it feels like the wrong solution to a deeper problem.
In fact, I’d argue the world could use fewer writers. I’m a voracious reader myself, and I can’t tell you how many times friends have handed me their manuscripts asking for feedback. Some of them have great ideas. A rare few even have a wee bit of talent. But most haven’t considered the tragic reality that they lack the one thing all good writers need: the actual ability to write.
And now we have this book, which is basically telling all of them, “Keep going. Endure the pain. The world needs your story.” Does it, though? In 2024 alone, 2.4 million new books were published. Meanwhile, 25 percent of people read zero books last year. Here in the US, the share of people who read for fun fell by 40% from 2003 to 2023. It’s like building more amusement parks when no one’s buying tickets.
No doubt, Pressfield’s words have been helpful to many. They even proved useful to my friend, who found motivation in them. But reading The Daily Pressfield felt like enrolling in a year-long guilt trip. Each page served as yet another reminder that not writing meant squandering potential, dodging responsibility, and betraying some sacred creative calling. All the while, the simple pleasure of sipping morning coffee was repeatedly interrupted by entries that read like they were penned by a gym teacher armed with a thesaurus.
Maybe the world doesn’t need another tortured novel that has almost zero chance of being read by anyone but dutiful family and a few friends. Maybe it needs you to take a painting class. Or bake some cookies. Or just go outside and touch grass.
Of course, it’s much more likely that this whole review of mine is just one big crock of cluelessness. Everything I’ve said about The Daily Pressfield is probably the literary equivalent of a guy showing up to a vegan potluck with a bucket of KFC and then loudly complaining that the quinoa tastes like birdseed.
I’m not part of the tribe. I don’t carry the fire. That’s why all the glorious suffering and self-flagellating that Pressfield reveres just sounds, to me, kind of exhausting. So take all my ramblings with a grain of salt. I’m just a guy outside the temple, squinting through the stained glass and wondering why everyone inside is crying and typing.
December 22, 2024
Had I not learned about Pressfield's concept of 'Resistance' from his earlier books, I wouldn't have been able to complete some truly grinding, boring, bureaucratic paperwork I've had to do in the course of my life. That is a fact. I owe it to him. That said, this book is so heavily geared toward writers that it just won't work as a 'one page a day' devotional kind of a deal. Glad I just read it through as a novel. Still some good advice in there; if it's reworked to remove focus from writers and bring in some of the more core productivity advice from his other books, it could be a useful daily companion for many. Sadly, it missed that mark, especially because the title doesn't specify the focus demographic and the pages themselves keep repeating '... your book, your non profit, your starter, your side hustle, whathaveyou, and whatnots ...'
December 25, 2024
Pressfield is a national treasure. He turns himself inside out and puts that humanness and challenge on display for us all to learn more about ourselves. This book propelled me through the first 20k words in my own book and allowed me to see that I’m a writer. If you create, and you feel the “resistance” hourly, daily, occasionally, the prescriptions for moving forward are all here, in shapes, colors, and even illustrations! Special note on Victor Juhasz’ illustrations - they add vividness and a little mirth to this work!!
February 11, 2025
Steven Pressfield is a great author who will always get five stars from me—I get that much out of his writing. However, the format of this book doesn't work as well as I had hoped and there are a lot of reworked/reused segments from previous books and his blog, so know that going in.
If you're a fan, get it. If you're new to Steven Pressfield, I'd start with War of Art or Turning Pro.
If you're a fan, get it. If you're new to Steven Pressfield, I'd start with War of Art or Turning Pro.
December 5, 2025
An essential book for any creative person. A great collection of excerpts, posts, talks, articles, Writing Wednesday posts. And Victor Juhasz's illustrations a first rate.
I turn to the book when I'm at difficult parts in my writing and they pages always hold the answer for the way out. I could not recommend this book more. If I could give it six stars, I would.
I turn to the book when I'm at difficult parts in my writing and they pages always hold the answer for the way out. I could not recommend this book more. If I could give it six stars, I would.
Read
July 5, 2024I was expecting a daily stoic style general wisdom/motivation book that gives you something to think about to start the day. But instead this is like a tips/tricks for writers. Much of it only applies to writers. Still useful to some degree, but not what I was expecting.
February 25, 2025
Works on multiple levels. As a personal story of Pressfield’s professional life. As a concrete, how-to instructions on writing. As a general philosophy of living.
“Every story must be about something. It must have a theme. “
“Every story must be about something. It must have a theme. “
December 26, 2023
Meant to be a daily read I read it all anyway! I will be using this starting Jan 1 to begin my day with.
March 29, 2025
A full year of Pressfield's writing, collections, experiences, visuals and wisdom. A nice read for a teenager, young adult or anyone needing micro-steps to personal motivation.
June 8, 2025
This book is not for me.
Relating artistic expression to war is not something I, as a Conscientious Objector, can get behind.
Relating artistic expression to war is not something I, as a Conscientious Objector, can get behind.
January 6, 2026
I really enjoyed Steven Pressfield’s earlier nonfiction works like The War of Art. I was hoping this was a more expanded version of that book but in a daily format. While this book does deliver on that concept, I felt it getting a bit repetitive as the months went on.
I’m glad the daily passages weren’t too long because it was consumable and it didn’t get tedious every day but just some of the subject matter became repetitive.
I honestly needed the daily knowledge of creativity but a year of it felt longer than I expected. But I still enjoyed the lessons from it.
I’m glad the daily passages weren’t too long because it was consumable and it didn’t get tedious every day but just some of the subject matter became repetitive.
I honestly needed the daily knowledge of creativity but a year of it felt longer than I expected. But I still enjoyed the lessons from it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews