Its been a long time since I’ve written last, or at least put together a complete piece which expresses any sort of developed thought.
What’s the reason for my absence?
I could say something lame: I didn’t have anything to write about, or that I was writing plenty just not finishing.
Maybe I say the age old excuse: I couldn’t find the time.
When it comes to any real sort of excuse, however, truth is - there isn’t one.
The only “excuse” worth mentioning, if you can even call it an excuse, the only thing which actually kept me from writing is - myself.
More specifically a part of myself which some may know as laziness, and to others “that feeling you get when your supposed to go to the gym”
To the esteemed author Steven Pressfield, this phenomena goes by one name.
Resistance.
While I may still be playing with the idea in my head and attempting to make more sense of it with broader and clearer lenses, the bottom line is that resistance is real. Resistance, as far as I know, exists in each and every one of us. It’s what keeps us from doing the thing we should be doing, and deep down want to be doing. In your head, day after day, nagging you to stay in bed; “there’s no need to workout,” it says, “sleep in, stay comfy, your too tired anyhow.” Whatever the dialogue for you, this thing exists in likely all of us, and it’s a real piece of shit to overcome. The voice of resistance doesn’t play games, and has no mercy, it doesn’t want to see you do the thing you envision yourself doing, so it’ll say anything to keep you stagnant, anything. Not to mention it’s your resistance; it knows you best and thereby knows exactly how to pluck your strings in just the right way. Resistance exploits your fear and uses it against you, as it aims to distract you unrelentingly from your aspirations.
Resistance is a real son of a bitch.
So then what can be done to counter this thing?
I say, sharpen your blade.
The only way to overcome resistance is to overcome resistance.
What do I mean by all this metaphorical nonsense? To give an example, the only way to overcome resistance to writing, whether that be writing a blog post, a novel, a piece for The NY Times, etc is to write. The only way to get your ass to the gym is get it through the front fucking door.
Sure, there might be hundreds of videos and clips on YouTube that offer motivational hacks, or simple and easy ways to help get the ball rolling, but do they give you the incentive to keep it going? Ultimately the only way to get said ball rolling, and keep it rolling, is to fucking push it yourself.
For many this is not easy to hear and gets them angry (by many and them I mean me), but this is just it.
Resistance is the whetstone to our blade of creation.
Without sharpening the blade, there is no hope of growth.
Without Ying there is no Yang.
Sure, you might be well behind those you compare yourself to, but that’s no reason to sulk; the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.
To quote Nike, and somehow be even cheesier:
Just Do it.
Whatever your resistance may be to, keep it at bay, and let it become an ally.
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More to come.
May the force be with you.