"On the field of the Self
stand a Knight and a Dragon.
You are the Knight.
Resistance is the Dragon.
The only intercourse possible between
the Knight and the Dragon is
Battle"
stand a Knight and a Dragon.
You are the Knight.
Resistance is the Dragon.
The only intercourse possible between
the Knight and the Dragon is
Battle"
I love the above scenario and by simply imagining it in my mind over and over again makes me want to win such a 'battle'.
When I read Do The Work (from where the above is quoted) by Steven Pressfield, it felt like the writer was hammering a nail in my head with his narration. The language of the book could not be any more blunt (and in some instances offensive too) but it is aimed at kicking you in the 'right spot'. Also, imagine reading the line "I was 30 years old before I had an actual thought". While this may sound skeptical to some, having read this book, I consider this statement to be a powerful confession.
Do The Work is a short book but leaves you in a trance for long. I can compare its impact to that when reading The Alchemist and what I particularly like about this one is that it is a quick read with a tone more conversational than prescriptive and the fact that it leaves you energized to fight that Resistance. It is quite easy to fall into the trap of inertia when pursuing an idea or that the outlier in you is shunned due to various opinions from outside (and inner) sources thus falling into the rut of "letting the unconscious do its work". I am thus glad I got to read this book as it has made me look at what I would want to do 'differently'. Not only that, it has suddenly forced me to reflect whether I face Resistance around me or that more often than not, I truly could be the 'Resistance' to someone else around me.
We all have our own sources of inspirational reading and I find this topping my list for now. A strong message emanating from this book is "the last thing we want is to remain as we are". I thus strongly recommend this book to you whether you are working to improve yourself or in pursuit of a new venture or wanting to accomplish your goals.
Further, this is part of Seth Godin's Domino Project and if that is not attractive enough, it is free on Kindle until May 20, 2011.
So grab the (e)copy now, read it and if you like it, Do The Work and spread the word.
When I read Do The Work (from where the above is quoted) by Steven Pressfield, it felt like the writer was hammering a nail in my head with his narration. The language of the book could not be any more blunt (and in some instances offensive too) but it is aimed at kicking you in the 'right spot'. Also, imagine reading the line "I was 30 years old before I had an actual thought". While this may sound skeptical to some, having read this book, I consider this statement to be a powerful confession.
Do The Work is a short book but leaves you in a trance for long. I can compare its impact to that when reading The Alchemist and what I particularly like about this one is that it is a quick read with a tone more conversational than prescriptive and the fact that it leaves you energized to fight that Resistance. It is quite easy to fall into the trap of inertia when pursuing an idea or that the outlier in you is shunned due to various opinions from outside (and inner) sources thus falling into the rut of "letting the unconscious do its work". I am thus glad I got to read this book as it has made me look at what I would want to do 'differently'. Not only that, it has suddenly forced me to reflect whether I face Resistance around me or that more often than not, I truly could be the 'Resistance' to someone else around me.
We all have our own sources of inspirational reading and I find this topping my list for now. A strong message emanating from this book is "the last thing we want is to remain as we are". I thus strongly recommend this book to you whether you are working to improve yourself or in pursuit of a new venture or wanting to accomplish your goals.
Further, this is part of Seth Godin's Domino Project and if that is not attractive enough, it is free on Kindle until May 20, 2011.
So grab the (e)copy now, read it and if you like it, Do The Work and spread the word.
