I came across a post somewhere with Steven Pressfield and then listened to his interview on Rogan. Interesting stuff. Many books talking about ‘success’ fall into two buckets. One is very academic and sterile sounding with a focus on outlier achievers like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg that no one will every be able to copy due to lack of crazy intellectual abilities, competitive drive & point in time opportunities. The second is more realistic, raw, bordering on cruel description of the toll that success takes on the person chasing it. This book was more of the second type. A lot of his suggestions are against inspiration or positive feelings and more about the commercial, blocking & tackling of doing something for money.
I spent a decade in consulting and every year we’d get asked how we embodied professionalism in the prior year. I was always perplexed by the question – I wore professional business attire, showered everyday before work, etc. but none of that really clicked in terms of what it meant to be professional. The closest thing I’d come up with was the idea of redundancy from my brothers who work in construction. They own 3-4 of each power tool so that if one breaks during a job they don’t have to leave, go to the store for a replacement and then come back to finish. WOA covers this idea and a bunch of others along with some helpful ways to deal with psychological challenges and setbacks.
Here are a few main points as suggested by grok:
In *The War of Art* by Steven Pressfield, the concept of being a “professional” is central to overcoming Resistance, the internal force that prevents creative and meaningful work. Pressfield outlines specific behaviors and mindsets that distinguish professionals from amateurs. Below is a summary of the key things professionals do, based on the principles in the book.
1. Show Up Every Day: Professionals commit to their work consistently, regardless of mood, inspiration, or external circumstances. They don’t wait for the perfect moment to create.
2. Start Working: Professionals don’t procrastinate. They begin their work promptly, treating it as a job rather than a hobby.
3. Stay on the Job All Day: They dedicate focused time to their craft, maintaining discipline even when distractions or Resistance arise.
4. Commit for the Long Haul: Professionals are in it for the long term. They don’t abandon their work after a few setbacks but persevere through challenges.
5. Stakes Are High: They treat their work as serious and meaningful, understanding that it’s tied to their purpose and identity, not just a pastime.
6. Don’t Overidentify with Their Work: Professionals don’t let their self-worth hinge on the success or failure of a single project. They separate their identity from their output to maintain resilience.
7. Master the Craft: They continuously hone their skills, studying and practicing to improve, rather than relying solely on talent or inspiration.
8. Work Through Resistance: Professionals recognize Resistance (e.g., self-doubt, procrastination) as a natural part of the creative process and push through it without succumbing.
9. Don’t Wait for Inspiration: They treat inspiration as a byproduct of consistent effort, not a prerequisite for starting work.
10. Accept Failure and Rejection: Professionals see setbacks as part of the process, learning from them instead of being paralyzed by fear of failure.
11. Focus on the Work, Not the Reward: They prioritize the process over external validation, money, or fame, finding satisfaction in the act of creation itself.
12. Take Themselves Seriously: Professionals treat their work as a calling, setting boundaries and creating structures like schedules or dedicated workspaces to support it.
13. Don’t Take Failure Personally: They view criticism or lack of immediate success as feedback, not a reflection of their worth or potential.
14. Endure Adversity: Professionals keep going despite obstacles, whether it’s internal (self-doubt) or external (lack of resources, time, or support).
15. Play the Game as It Is: They accept the realities of their field—whether it’s competition, market demands, or criticism—and work within those constraints rather than resisting them.
16. Delay Gratification: Professionals are willing to put in years of effort without immediate rewards, trusting that persistence will pay off.
17. Don’t Seek Permission: They don’t wait for external validation or approval to pursue their work but take responsibility for their own path.
18. Organize Their Lives Around Their Work: They prioritize their craft, making sacrifices in other areas of life to ensure they can show up consistently.
19. Treat Themselves as Business: Professionals approach their work with discipline, like running a company, managing time, resources, and energy efficiently.
20. Recognize Resistance’s Tricks: They become adept at identifying Resistance in its many forms (fear, distraction, perfectionism) and counter it with action.
Finance Nerd 