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The War Of Art By Steven Pressfield: Executive Summary of The War of Art
Everyone has that one dream, that hidden desire that they keep hidden from the world. For some, it is a desire to write a novel, to create that masterpiece painting, or write that sonnet that will live on throughout the ages. We’re all capable of doing it; so, why don’t we?
In all of our lives we face resistance. The War of Art explains how that resistance enters our lives, and holds us back from fulfilling those dreams that consume our minds. Resistance will always try and stop us, but if willpower is there then the outcome can be achieved. For even a mountain, if only one grain of dirt at a time, will be moved in its entirety with enough determination.
The War of Art will provide anecdotes, advice, and explanations of how our psyche is both striving for fulfillment, and working to stop us as the ego and self battle for mastery.
Do you have a dream, but you don’t know what’s really holding you back from it? The answers are out there, and your journey can begin inside these pages.
In all of our lives we face resistance. The War of Art explains how that resistance enters our lives, and holds us back from fulfilling those dreams that consume our minds. Resistance will always try and stop us, but if willpower is there then the outcome can be achieved. For even a mountain, if only one grain of dirt at a time, will be moved in its entirety with enough determination.
The War of Art will provide anecdotes, advice, and explanations of how our psyche is both striving for fulfillment, and working to stop us as the ego and self battle for mastery.
Do you have a dream, but you don’t know what’s really holding you back from it? The answers are out there, and your journey can begin inside these pages.
22 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 8, 2015
171 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 9, 2023
An idea that could have been 20 pages long. There's a lot of white space in the pages to pad his ideas into a book. Not that the ideas aren't good. They are. It's just that it's more of a magazine article than a book. Basically, you need to set a schedule and do the work . . . every day. Good advice.
November 16, 2025
The War of Art is one of those books that feels weirdly motivating and mildly annoying at the same time. It’s sharp, blunt, and very quotable about what keeps us from doing the work.
The whole idea of “Resistance” is useful language, but the way it’s framed can be a little dramatic and one-size-fits-all. I liked parts of it, I underlined a few lines, and I also rolled my eyes more than once.
This is a very easy book to get through. The chapters are short, the voice is confident, and it feels more like a series of punches than a long argument. Pressfield’s big contribution here is giving a name to that invisible force that makes you do literally anything except the thing you say you care about.
Calling it “Resistance” with a capital R is a bit theatrical, but the concept is instantly recognizable. If you’re a writer, artist, or any kind of creative, you’ll probably see yourself in some of the avoidance behaviors he describes, and there’s something oddly comforting about having that called out so directly.
Where the book works for me is in its refusal to romanticize the creative process. Pressfield is very big on the idea of turning pro: showing up consistently, treating your work like a job, and not waiting around for inspiration to be perfect before you start.
If you’re stuck in a loop of planning and talking about your project instead of actually doing it, parts of this will hit exactly the nerve they’re supposed to. It’s a good kick in the ass if you’re in the right frame of mind.
But the book also leans into a kind of macho, all-or-nothing attitude that I didn’t always love. The way he talks about Resistance starts to feel almost mystical and moralistic, like you’re either defeating this enemy daily or you’re failing at being who you’re meant to be.
There isn’t much space for nuance, mental health, burnout, or the realities of people who can’t just brute-force discipline every day. The pro vs. amateur framing is catchy, but it can come across as harsh and simplistic if your life is more complicated than “just sit down and do the work.”
There’s also not a lot of concrete how-to beyond “show up” and “do the work anyway.” If you’re looking for practical strategies, this isn’t that. It’s more mindset manifesto than craft guide. Depending on what you need, that can either be exactly what you want or feel a bit thin once the initial punch wears off.
By the end, some of the spiritual language and the way he talks about inspiration and the muse drifted into territory that didn’t really resonate with me personally, even if I understood what he was trying to get at.
Overall, I’d call The War of Art a useful but imperfect little jolt. It’s worth reading if you treat it like a strong opinion you can bounce off of rather than a complete philosophy. I took away a clearer sense of how often I let Resistance run the show, but I wouldn’t treat this as the final word on creativity or discipline.
The whole idea of “Resistance” is useful language, but the way it’s framed can be a little dramatic and one-size-fits-all. I liked parts of it, I underlined a few lines, and I also rolled my eyes more than once.
This is a very easy book to get through. The chapters are short, the voice is confident, and it feels more like a series of punches than a long argument. Pressfield’s big contribution here is giving a name to that invisible force that makes you do literally anything except the thing you say you care about.
Calling it “Resistance” with a capital R is a bit theatrical, but the concept is instantly recognizable. If you’re a writer, artist, or any kind of creative, you’ll probably see yourself in some of the avoidance behaviors he describes, and there’s something oddly comforting about having that called out so directly.
Where the book works for me is in its refusal to romanticize the creative process. Pressfield is very big on the idea of turning pro: showing up consistently, treating your work like a job, and not waiting around for inspiration to be perfect before you start.
If you’re stuck in a loop of planning and talking about your project instead of actually doing it, parts of this will hit exactly the nerve they’re supposed to. It’s a good kick in the ass if you’re in the right frame of mind.
But the book also leans into a kind of macho, all-or-nothing attitude that I didn’t always love. The way he talks about Resistance starts to feel almost mystical and moralistic, like you’re either defeating this enemy daily or you’re failing at being who you’re meant to be.
There isn’t much space for nuance, mental health, burnout, or the realities of people who can’t just brute-force discipline every day. The pro vs. amateur framing is catchy, but it can come across as harsh and simplistic if your life is more complicated than “just sit down and do the work.”
There’s also not a lot of concrete how-to beyond “show up” and “do the work anyway.” If you’re looking for practical strategies, this isn’t that. It’s more mindset manifesto than craft guide. Depending on what you need, that can either be exactly what you want or feel a bit thin once the initial punch wears off.
By the end, some of the spiritual language and the way he talks about inspiration and the muse drifted into territory that didn’t really resonate with me personally, even if I understood what he was trying to get at.
Overall, I’d call The War of Art a useful but imperfect little jolt. It’s worth reading if you treat it like a strong opinion you can bounce off of rather than a complete philosophy. I took away a clearer sense of how often I let Resistance run the show, but I wouldn’t treat this as the final word on creativity or discipline.
January 16, 2020
OMG just want I needed. I real kick in the butt to get back to writing. The most amazing explanation of what is keeping me from doing what I want to do with my art. Any and every artist and writer needs to read Pressfield's explanation of the war that goes on when we face art. It also applies to other goals we may have in life. Easy read. I will keep it near me the rest of my life. If I was to give any book as a gift to someone... this is it.
October 1, 2019
Excerpt: "Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard, or smelled. But it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from a work-in-potential. It's a repelling force. It's negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work."
Hilarious and butt-kicking advice to bust through procrastination and self-doubt. Vive la anti-Resistance!
July 23, 2018
Мне сложно было различать, где автор говорит на полном серьёзе, а где ирония. Две звезды только за упоминание дисциплины, влияние высших сил на художника и сравнение творящего человека с инструментом. В остальном не зашло
May 2, 2020
I've been wanting to read this for some time. it's not exactly what I expected but I find myself thinking about it. I'm thinking about my need to create and overcome the resistances. I think it will stick with me and I'll probably read it again.
March 18, 2021
This is a call to basics and a REAL rundown on what to expect on your journey to mastery.
August 21, 2021
Wishing the library had a full copy of this....just ordered the fu version!
January 14, 2022
A must read for any artist.
September 8, 2024
This is kinda thin on recaps and explanations - offered with jocularity rather than analysis. However it does provide a workable gist of the concepts presented in the original book.
February 27, 2026
Garbage
January 23, 2016
Very short
I would have just as soon read the actual book...purchased this by accident..seven more words were required. Three. more words were required
I would have just as soon read the actual book...purchased this by accident..seven more words were required. Three. more words were required
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews