Book Review: Do The Work

A follow up to Seth Godin’s Poke the Box and his own The Art of War, Steven Pressfield has recently released Do The Work, a manifesto on overcoming The Resistance, his name for the forces that keep us from fulfilling goals and ultimately reaching our destiny.. (you can get your own copy here)(or free on Kindle) It’s an excellent book that continues in the steps of Seth Godin: “Now that you’ve decided to initiate something important to you, you’re going to run into roadblocks. That’s okay, it happens. Keep Working.”
Photo credit: Courtney Nash/Flickr

Know Thy Enemy

In my review of Poke The Box, I called it an inspirational “kick in the pants”… Do The Work continues in that vein by helping us recognize those things that get in the way once we’ve decided to start something big. Ranging from criticism, to writer’s block, to your own fears and insecurities, The Resistance is always there. But once you’ve recognized The Resistance, you can do something about it, and the author encourages you and gives you step-by-step advice in overcoming those obstacles.

Some of that advice? Keep working. Suspend all self-judgment. Keep working. and Keep working.

Know Thy Self

Pressfield asks two big questions, the first being “How Bad Do You Want It?” …Again, if you are working on a worthwhile project, goal, or dream… your desire to see it to the finish will hopefully be stronger than those voices of The Resistance. The second question is “Why Do You Want It?” …in this case it’s easier to list the wrong answers: For power, for fame, for the money, because I deserve it… all wrong.

Written from a writer’s point of view, but applicable to a wide range of professions and projects, Pressfield writes personably, as a friend and advisor. The book’s length is perfect, filled with real-world examples from his own life and others’ lives to portray his points, and he gets right to the point: The Resistance is real, it will try to stop you, but it can be beaten.

I’ll leave you with some of Steven Pressfield’s nuggets of wisdom:

Stay Stupid.
Trust The Soup.
Start Before You’re Ready.*