The War of Art

Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow! Grow!"

Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.

It's not the writing part that's hard. What's hard is sitting down to write.

jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell.

What are the qualities of a territory? 1) A territory provides sustenance. Runners know what a territory is. So do rock climbers and kayakers and yogis. Artists and entrepreneurs know what a territory is. The swimmer who towels off after finishing her laps feels a helluva lot better than the tired, cranky person who dove into the pool thirty minute

Is this the Unconscious? The Self? Whatever it is, it's smarter than we are. A lot smarter. It doesn't need us to tell it what to do. It goes to work all by itself. It seems to want to work. It seems to enjoy it. What exactly is it doing? It's organizing. The principle of organization is built into nature. Chaos itself is self-organizing. Out of pr

I learned this from Robert McKee. A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn't ask himself what's in his own heart. He asks what the market is looking for.

Here's another test. Of any activity you do, ask yourself: If I were the last person on earth, would I still do it?

The danger is greatest when the finish line is in sight.

Never forget: This very moment, we can change our lives.