person1943–

Steven Pressfield

Disciplines:

Summary

American author — of The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and Tides of War — who published his first novel at 52 after decades of struggle — whose concept of 'the Resistance' is the most useful single framework for creative procrastination.

Core Contribution

Creates the Resistance as a framework for creative procrastination — The War of Art's concept (that all creative beings face an internal force of resistance that must be defeated daily through professional discipline) is the most practically actionable framework for creative work in popular culture.

Key Spikes & Highlights

Published his first novel at 52 after being broke and nearly homeless throughout his 30s and 40s — The War of Art's credibility comes from its author's own failure record; he was a failed screenwriter, adman, and drifter before Gates of Fire became required reading at the Naval Academy
Gates of Fire is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' reading list and is taught at West Point — a novel about the Spartans at Thermopylae became required reading for American military officers because Pressfield captured what small units do psychologically before a suicidal stand; the book's military adoption is the most unusual crossover of popular fiction into professional military education

Notable Works & Achievements

Gates of Fire

The War of Art

Do the Work

Turning Pro

The Legend of Bagger Vance

Historical Influences

W. Somerset Maugham Julia Cameron Stoic philosophy

Intellectual Lineage

New York Duke University Marines Decades of screenwriting and writing Gates of Fire The War of Art

Contemporaries & Peers

Brian Koppelman Robert McKee

Minds Influenced

Creative productivity writing

Intellectual Posterity

The War of Art The Resistance Gates of Fire Pressfield as creative discipline model

Discussing