PDF Summary:The War of Art, by

Book Summary: Learn the key points in minutes.

Below is a preview of the Shortform book summary of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Read the full comprehensive summary at Shortform.

1-Page PDF Summary of The War of Art

Do you feel a calling inside to create or inspire the world? Do you struggle to follow that calling because of doubt, fear, or lack of motivation? The War of Art spells out the reason you struggle to reach your dreams and provides strategies to help you overcome the obstacles. Each creative person experiences resistance in the form of fear when they approach their true work. When you understand where that fear comes from, how it manifests in your life, and how a commitment to your work can give you the strength to push forward, you will be successful in living your dreams.

(continued)...

To reach this creative space, you must be a professional in your work, not an amateur. When you’re an amateur, you dabble in your art whenever inspiration strikes or you’re in the right mood. You’re not committed to your art, and your goals center around fun, money, and status. Resistance loves an amateur because you are easily distracted from the work.

When you’re a professional, you create art because your soul demands it. Your art is a full-time commitment, even if you aren’t getting paid. You sit down to face your art daily because it is part of who you are. You shape your life to include the work as a priority. Resistance hates the professional because you are less likely to cower to fear.

The great thing about being a professional is the access you have to your muse. Each time you sit down and face your art, you open the portal to your artistic space, where the muse resides. Within this universe, your muse conspires to bring you inspiration because you are committed to your art.

How to Become a Professional

You become a professional the moment you decide to commit to your art. But what does being a professional look like? The answer lies in how you approach your day job, or “money-making work.”

  • You show up daily and work hard.
  • You take criticism from your boss with a grain of salt.
  • You are detached from the work because it doesn’t define you.
  • You keep working because your livelihood demands it.

Approach your creative work with the same attitudes, and you will be prepared for resistance when it shows up.

Why? Because the only way to defeat resistance is by working. You can’t be precious about the work. You must show up to greet your muse every day. You must learn about your craft so you have the skills needed to use the inspiration the muse provides. You must put the work into the world and be open to criticism. You must detach from the work personally so you can complete it authentically.

A professional understands that fear is part of the work and failure part of the road to success. You know that you must love being miserable because each time you sit down to do your work, you will have to overcome resistance. It is not easy to remain motivated in the face of this formidable foe, but you must if you want the life you were meant to have.

Working like a professional gives you the power to work through fear. Resistance, like any bully, doesn’t know what to do when its target stands up for herself and no longer fears them. When you do the work, you stand up to fear, and resistance slips away. You’ve won the battle for the day, and you are prepared to keep winning in the days to come.

Consciousness and Art

You have a muse waiting in your creative space to give you the inspiration you need to do your work. Some call the muse talent, and others think of it as an angel sent from the gods. However you look at it, the fact remains that when you tap into your creative space, you open your consciousness up to mysterious forces that conspire to serve your work.

When you acknowledge the muse in your artistic life, you counteract feelings of ego that hinder the authenticity of your work. The muse knows things that you don’t. It sees your potential and wants to give you what you need to reach it. The muse rewards the commitment of the professional. Therefore, the only way to summon the muse is simply starting to work.

The muse is just one mysterious force working in your favor. The other comes from you and exists in higher planes of existence, called the Self. When you harness the energy of the muse and power of the Self, you will shove resistance to the side.

Your Self vs. Your Ego

Your Ego is the embodiment of the personal “I,” or the surface mind. The ego operates in the real world. The Self is the larger conscious entity that comprises the individual and collective unconscious minds. Your dreams, intuition, and visions live within the realm of the Self.

The Ego is where resistance lives, and the Self is where the spirits live, including yours and that of your muse. Both the Self and Ego are powerful and battle for position in your mind.

When you are led by your Ego, your main priority is to maintain the status of “I” in the world. The Ego believes that life is finite, so you live in a constant state of fear of losing it. The Ego lives on the surface and manages your day-to-day activities. This aspect of the Ego is valuable in continuing life, but it does nothing for continuing art.

The Self believes in life beyond death. It wanders in a realm where everything is connected through love, and space and time are artificial constructs. Your psychic power lies in the sphere of the Self, and anytime you try to alter your consciousness, you seek to access this higher sphere. The Self does not lie and cannot disguise itself as something it’s not. The Self encompasses the deepest form of who you are.

Your Artist Self

When you sit down to create, you are attempting to access the plane of the Self. You gravitate toward art because you want to grow, evolve, learn, and tap into internal truths. You seek a spiritual awakening to become more enlightened.

The more enlightened you become, the less you rely on Ego. The you that exists within the Self is more powerful than the physical you, so resistance tries to block the path to your awakening. The Ego would rather you didn’t become your authentic self. But your authentic self is the only person you can be if you want to be happy.

Claiming Your Artistic Identity

Identity is important to all of us. We have an inherent need to know where we fit in within society. You define yourself based on your connections, which inform how you act. There are two main forms of connection in society: those based on hierarchy and those based on territory.

Hierarchy vs. Territory

Hierarchy defines you based on your position along a certain social ladder. Territory connects you to certain environments or activities. To reach your creative potential, you must seek your identity from territory, not hierarchy.

Hierarchy is death for the artist. It narrows your scope regarding the work. You strive to find your place within your field, so you measure yourself against those achieving success. You try to shape yourself according to the rank you wish to become. When you look to the outside world to define your worth, you will never be content.

When you look outward instead of inward for validation, you stop doing the work for the sake of the work. You write, paint, or develop your ideas based on what you believe people want to see and will accept. You force yourself to travel down an unauthentic path, and you and the work suffer.

The territory of your art is the creative space inside you. You connect with your muse and higher mind in your territory. Some examples of territories include the canvas for a painter, the stage for a performer, or the blank page for a writer. The only way to claim your territory is by doing the work.

When you work within your territory, you invite their mysterious forces in and promise to serve as a patient servant. You do the work for the sake of the work, and you will be rewarded with insight and guidance from your higher planes of consciousness.

If you’re not sure which place you work from, ask the following questions:

If you’re suffering psychologically, what do you do to make yourself feel better?

  • If you call a bunch of friends to receive reassurance, you’re more hierarchical.
  • If you turn to the work for solace, you are territorial.

If you were the last person on Earth, would you still create your art?

  • If your creations lose meaning because there’s no one to validate your work, you’re hierarchical.
  • If you gain sustenance from the act of doing the work without accolades, you are territorial.

A major advantage of the territorial foundation is that it banishes fear. When you work because it is part of who you are and commit to the work, you can never fail. Claim your territory through work, and intruders have no choice but to move on to unclaimed land.

Living Your Creative Life

The only thing that will stop you from achieving your calling is yourself. If you let resistance stop you from doing the work, you will never reach your potential. You will suffer because you know you are meant for more, and the world will suffer because you have not provided the gift you were chosen to give. You can’t predict the outcome of your work, but you can ensure nothing happens if you don’t try. Trust the process, trust the muse, and trust yourself to work like a professional, and you will never fail. Every day you choose to follow your true path in life you win.

Want to learn the rest of The War of Art in 21 minutes?

Unlock the full book summary of The War of Art by signing up for Shortform.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being 100% comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you don't spend your time wondering what the author's point is.
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.

Here's a preview of the rest of Shortform's The War of Art PDF summary:

PDF Summary Introduction: The Unrealized Life

...

Part 1 of this summary will show you what resistance is, how it appears in your life, and how to overcome it. Part 2 will show you how to commit to your art like a professional and win the battle against resistance. Part 3 tells you what a muse is, where it comes from, and how to summon it in your work.

(Shortform note: This book was written specifically for artists struggling to create art. Therefore, the summary focuses mostly on strategies to help artists overcome their fears. However, the term “artist” can be replaced with any category of person who feels a calling to be more than they are. Whether you’re a scientist, entrepreneur, inventor, or chef, the ideas surrounding goal achievement and fear apply to you, as well.)

PDF Summary Part 1: Resistance—The Formidable Foe | Chapter 1: What Is Resistance?

...

Principle 6: Resistance is a compass.

  • Think of a compass needle that is magnetized to always point North. Resistance is that compass needle. It will always point in the direction of your most significant calling. You can use this unwavering accuracy to your advantage. Whatever you feel resistance toward is exactly what you should go after. The appearance of resistance tells you the goal is important to your true spiritual fulfillment.

Principle 7: Everyone experiences resistance.

  • You are not alone in your struggle with resistance. Anyone with a soul experiences resistance.

Principle 8: A war with resistance is a battle to the death.

  • Resistance doesn’t play nicely. Its aim is not to merely distract you or throw a wrench in your plans. Resistance is out for blood. It wants to destroy your genius and ensure you never succeed. Knowing this will help prepare you for the fight.

Principle 9: You give resistance its power.

  • Resistance is not a foreign body implanted inside you. You give birth to resistance through fear. When you feel a pull toward your true calling, you feel fear. Resistance uses that fear as sustenance, and **the more...

PDF Summary Chapter 2: Resistance and Your Personal Life

...

Likewise, fear is a huge indication that you’re headed toward personal growth. Fear can be tricky because, as mentioned, it activates resistance and gives it strength. But you can counteract the relationship between fear and resistance by using fear as a guide. As a general rule—the more you fear the work, the more you should pursue it.

Many actors only take roles that scare them. They do this because these roles challenge their abilities and push them out of their comfort zones. They see an opportunity to grow and get closer to their full potential. The same is true for you. You feel so much resistance when you’re scared to pursue something because the work means something to you. If it didn’t, you’d feel no resistance. Use your fear to propel you forward because the deeper parts of yourself and talent lie on the other side.

Vulnerability

Like doubt and fear, you only feel vulnerable when your heart is on the line. When you feel a deep emotional connection—something akin to love— to the work, failure feels visceral. Therefore, you feel vulnerable, and feeling vulnerable is uncomfortable. Resistance uses that feeling to drive you away from your work.

**When...

What Our Readers Say

This is the best summary of The War of Art I've ever read. I learned all the main points in just 20 minutes.

Learn more about our summaries →

PDF Summary Part 2: Winning the War Against Resistance | Chapter 3: Commitment Is Key

...

The great thing about being a professional is the access you have to your muse. Each time you sit down and face your art, you open the portal to your artistic space, where the muse resides. Within this universe, this mysterious force conspires to bring you inspiration because you are committed to your art.

Why You Must Love Misery

When you’re a professional artist, you live in a world fraught with resistance. Fear, doubt, passion, vulnerability, and struggle are present every day of your life. These feelings make you miserable, which resistance is counting on. If you feel miserable, you won’t want to dwell in that world for very long. You’ll search for ways to self-soothe or get instant gratification. But a professional understands that his world is a living hell and accepts it as part of life.

A typical day of your professional life may follow the sequence below:

  • You wake up each day feeling unsatisfied. Fear follows shortly behind and lodges in your gut.
  • You perform your daily rituals: breakfast, children, day job, laundry, emails, etc. You are physically there, but your mind is not. However, you aren’t focused on your artistic work. You’re focused on...

PDF Summary Chapter 4: The Psychology of the Professional

...

Prepared—You understand that resistance is a formidable opponent and are prepared for its assault. You are ready for whatever typical or utterly unique ways resistance will try to derail you and take each one in stride. Your goal is not ultimate victory but the ability to maintain composure and keep believing in yourself and the work.

Humble—You don’t brag about your work. You let the work speak for itself. You use your skills to enhance the work, not to show how talented you are.

Studious—You respect technique and the value of studying the work of those who came before you. You don’t pride yourself as a master of your craft. Instead, you continue seeking knowledge so you can understand your craft fully and have all your skills at your disposal. You understand that by sharpening your skills, you open the door wider for the muse to provide genius.

Open to help—You never assume you know all there is to know about your craft. You recognize that revelations happen when you open yourself up to assistance from others, and you ask for help when you need it.

Detached—You see your talent and skills as instruments that help you work, not things that define...

PDF Summary Part 3: The Other Side of Resistance | Chapter 5: A Powerful Ally

...

Some believed that the gods took an interest in the affairs of mortals and interfered for either good or bad (perhaps better understood as rewards or punishments). William Blake, an 18th-century poet, believed the muses delighted in the creations of the living. Others suggested that artistic creations already existed in this higher plane, and the muse simply provided the path for the mortal to bring them forth.

You may not believe in this mythological mumbo jumbo. But once you understand how the muse works, you may begin to see the benefit of having this force in your corner.

How the Muse Becomes Your Ally

When you acknowledge the muse in your artistic life, you counteract feelings of ego that can hinder the authenticity of your work. The muse is not just from a higher dimension, the muse wants to help you and knows things that you don’t. It sees your potential and wants to give you what you need to reach it. But for that to happen, you must be open to hearing the muse and listening. Basically, you need to get out of your head so you can hear the inspiration when it comes. The only way to summon the muse is simply starting to work.

Beginning Your Work

When you...

PDF Summary Chapter 6: The Artist’s Identity

...

When you look to the outside world to define your worth, you will never be content. Look at Vincent Van Gogh. He was fully engaged with his Self and pursued his calling as a professional. But the world didn’t recognize his art as worthy, and he suffered psychologically.

When you look outward instead of inward, you stop doing the work for the sake of the work. You approach every connection through the lens of how it can enhance your position. And worst of all, you become a hack.

A hack is someone who shapes their art to improve their ranking within the hierarchy. You write, paint, or develop your ideas based on what you believe people want to see and will accept. You become afraid of creating what is in your heart because you fear it won’t be received well. You force yourself to travel down an unauthentic path, and you and the work suffer.

You might achieve financial success as a hack because American culture loves a good panderer. But you’ll have sacrificed your muse and not fulfilled your calling. Therefore, the success will only be external and the work less than what you’re capable of.

The Author’s Personal Experience

Pressfield struggled as a...

PDF Summary Chapter 7: Life as an Artist

...

If you can let go of your Ego, you can succeed. If you can stand up to resistance, you can succeed. If you can be humble and accept your role as servant to the muse, you can succeed.

You must become a warrior in the fight for control over your life. You must be willing to share the spotlight with inspiration and view yourself as an instrument it works through. You must remember that you are an artist, not the art. You must commit to doing whatever the work entails. If you can do these things, the rest will take care of itself.

Why are Shortform Summaries the Best?

We're the most efficient way to learn the most useful ideas from a book.

Cuts Out the Fluff

Ever feel a book rambles on, giving anecdotes that aren't useful? Often get frustrated by an author who doesn't get to the point?

We cut out the fluff, keeping only the most useful examples and ideas. We also re-organize books for clarity, putting the most important principles first, so you can learn faster.

Always Comprehensive

Other summaries give you just a highlight of some of the ideas in a book. We find these too vague to be satisfying.

At Shortform, we want to cover every point worth knowing in the book. Learn nuances, key examples, and critical details on how to apply the ideas.

3 Different Levels of Detail

You want different levels of detail at different times. That's why every book is summarized in three lengths:

1) Paragraph to get the gist
2) 1-page summary, to get the main takeaways
3) Full comprehensive summary and analysis, containing every useful point and example