A young woman reading with a monster standing behind her.

How to Slay the Reading Resistance Monster

In 2002, Steven Pressfield published The War of Art, a book that explores the very real problem of Resistance in our lives. He approached the topic as a writer, but I’d like to apply his ideas to reading books. Let’s start with a great quote from the introductory pages.

“There’s a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don’t, and the secret is this: It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel resistance as a reader. I talk about books all day long – they’re my passion. But that doesn’t protect me from Resistance. Every day, I want to read but my brain resists. It’s the strangest thing. I’m pulled in other directions, fully believing I’ll sit down and read once a few tasks get done.

I could blame it on human nature, but that feels like a cop-out.

I could blame it on a busy schedule, but that’s ridiculous. We’re all busy.

I could blame it on a lack of sleep or bad indigestion, but neither applies.

I could blame it on the construction workers outside with jackhammers, but that’s easily overcome with some Airpods and my Read Well Reading Playlist.

There’s nothing to blame. It’s simply Resistance, and I think that’s why Steven Pressfield capitalizes the R. He makes it a proper noun. This turns the somewhat ambiguous “feeling” of resistance into a tangible Resistance entity, something to wrestle with. He personifies Resistance, making it the real antagonist in your life story. It’s now an obstacle to overcome, an enemy to defeat, and a monster to slay.

If that’s the case, how do we slay the Resistance monster daily? I’ve noticed he gets stronger as the day gets longer, and that’s why I ALWAYS read as soon as possible.

Before I open my computer…

Before I write my daily reading post…

Before I eat my breakfast…

I open my book and slay the Resistance monster.

Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.

-Eddy

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Works Cited:

Pressfield, Steven, and Robert McKee. The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle. First Black Irish Entertainment paperback edition, Black Irish Entertainment LLC, SANAGE Publishing House, 2012.

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