As a creative, I constantly struggle with not having enough energy, focus, and discipline to finish projects. While I find myself having the creativity to plan and start a variety of assignments, it’s not always easy to carry them through. This is usually caused by resistance.

If you’re also a struggling creative, there’s a book that has the power of changing your life.

I recently read (and re-read) The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. The book is nearly two decades old but is still relevant to artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives who are struggling to break through creative boundaries.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with resistance. While I didn’t have a name for which I used to think was laziness, The War of Art has helped me understand how resistance impacts creatives every single day.

According to Pressfield, resistance is fear. Therefore, we tend to avoid doing the things that scare us the most. This can be anything from launching a business, starting a project, or speaking in front of a crowd. Unfortunately for us, we rarely admit to the fear, therefore, usually don’t make the necessary progress towards personal and professional growth.

As a creative writer, I always thought my artistic energy was limited to only a few hours a day. I usually found myself doing my most creative draining work at the beginning of the day, leaving more tedious tasks for late hours.

After reading The War of Art I realized that my problem wasn’t my lack of creative energy, but the lack of discipline to sit down and just do the work. I now find myself doing a lot of the work I would have usually pushed off to the side.

As an entrepreneur, it’s no longer enough to simply show up Monday through Friday and do the bare minimum that can usually get employees by in a corporate job. I’m dependent on my income, opportunities, and growth, so being a professional is more important than ever.

Finally, it’s important to remember that every human holds a special gift and talent. Holding back from sharing your passion with the world keeps others from experiencing what you have to offer. You’d be doing a disservice to yourself, your family, and your community.