‘Tis the season of “wrapped” and “year in review” posts. Although I’ve yet to review my listening habits for 2025 (surprising for a musician, I know), I have been thinking about some of the books I’ve read this year. I didn’t get quite as many crossed off my reading list as I had planned, but I did finally break in a few that had been collecting dust on my bookshelf for a while.
One of the most influential books I read this year was Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend adding it to the top of your reading list. It is definitely a book that I will come back to regularly for some powerful reminders.
The War of Art addresses the obstacles and self-sabotaging tendencies – what Pressfield calls “Resistance” – that many creatives face, along with offering practical tools for getting past them. Have you ever had a creative block or found procrastination creeping in while working on a project? If so, you’re definitely not alone, and chances are that Resistance is at work.
Side note: If you enjoy podcasts, Steven was recently a guest on The Huberman Lab where he talks about Resistance and practical strategies for overcoming inner creative battles.
The War of Art ends with a powerful, one-page chapter called “The Artist’s Life.” It resonated with me so deeply that I’m seriously considering getting this page framed and displayed on my desk.
Here are the last few sentences of the chapter (emphasis mine):
“Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
Talk about a powerful dose of motivation.
Reading this reminded me how easy it is to forget the value of creative work, especially when life gets busy or uncertain (as it often seems to be). While the work can be exhausting, exhilarating and possibly overwhelming at times, it remains a vital contribution to the world.
And even as questions linger about technology and the evolving role of AI, our creative efforts endure – gifts to be continually wrapped and shared with the world.
P.S. I’m always on the lookout for book recommendations, so if you have some, please drop them in the comments!