668. The Spiritual Nature of Creative Work: Rituals, Resistance, & the Muse w/ Steven Pressfield

There’s a hidden force that is hurting your creative work.

Steven Pressfield is the author behind The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. After spending the past few years writing my own first book, I had a lot of questions for him about what actually gets in the way of creative work.

In this episode, we talk about the difference between writing for ego and writing in service of something larger. I told him about the fear of success that crept in once my manuscript got close to being done, the dread of asking people for endorsements, and the strange grief of finishing a project you've lived inside for years.

He shared things I didn't expect. The War of Art was a 10-year slow burn. He's been "terrified every minute" of his career and never gave in. He believes resistance is a real force with one job: to stop you. And he writes ninety pages into his next book before the current one ships.

Read: The Arcadian: A Novel by Steven Pressfield: https://amzn.to/4ufrFhS

You'll learn:

[00:00] Introduction

[14:49] Two kinds of loneliness, and how spiritual grounding resolves both

[20:29] Why writing alone doesn't feel lonely, and how the muse shows up in the creative space

[34:54] Resistance, shadow careers, and addiction as misrouted creativity

[56:34] Steven’s pre-writing ritual: invoking the muse and checking ego at the door

[1:04:45] Why over-editing is a form of resistance, and how to know when a work is done

[1:07:49] Building a body of work instead of betting everything on one book

[1:09:41] Creative discipline: why Steven distrusts breaks and why the muse likes knowing where to find you

[1:14:10] Losing his home in the Malibu fire: detachment, grief, and what the goddess still has to offer

[1:22:42] The Arcadian: karma, reincarnation, and whether the universe has a mechanism for justice

Resources Mentioned:

Read: A Horse Named Lonesome: Tales and Teachings to Reclaim Connection, Transcend Separation, and Discover the Divine Within by Luke Storey | Book

Read: Govt Cheese: A Memoir by Steven Pressfield | Book

Read: Animal Power: 100 Animals to Energize Your Life and Awaken Your Soul by Alyson Charles | Book

Read: The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield | Book

Read: The Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield | Book

Read: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life by Steven Pressfield | Book

The Joe Rogan Experience #1901 – Steven Pressfield | Podcast

Oprah's Super Soul #164 – Steven Pressfield: Unlock Your Creative Genius |