A few years ago, a little book fell into my hands. Steven Pressfield’s “Do the Work!“. A quick, easy read with gimmicky formatting (at least the version I have), and yet the contents hit me like an axe between the shoulderblades. It boils down to this: Resistance is the universal enemy, an unthinking force of nature that pushes us to act against our self-interest, our values, and our better judgement.
It’s an ever-present threat that’s hard to recognize because internally it shows up in so many ways: Discomfort. Confusion. Laziness. Inertia. Preoccupation. Rationalization.
The outward reactions it triggers are just as numerous: Procrastination. Avoidance. Numbing. Anger. Busywork. Retreat. Resignation. Rebellion.
And any time we give in to resistance and act against our values, we create inner dissonance and a whole new host of emotions: Judgement. Regret. Self-recrimination. Guilt. Shame. And the terrible feeling that we’re wasting the precious time we have; time that can never be recovered.
Am I grossly simplifying things? Hell, yeah. I’m not a psychologist. I’m just trying to figure out how my own mind works or doesn’t work. Still. The idea that resistance lies at the bottom of so many self-made problems was an eye-opener for me. It doesn’t stop there, though. There’s an even deeper layer: Fear.
I could start another list of the many things we (all, right: I) might be afraid of, and I’m sure there’d be some pretty universal fears. I’ve got my candidates all picked out. But what’s the point in dwelling on them? The point for me is this: How can I get my big homo sapiens brain to to override the cringeing, tantrum-throwing, pleasure-seeking lizard brain underneath?
Here’s the bad news: I doubt that fear and resistance can be eliminated altogether. They are feelings. Thoughts. As such, they will always arise, outside of our control. There’s no point in trying to suppress them. The point is to be vigilant and to recognize them when they arrive. To acknowledge their presence but not to react to them anymore. To break the chain.
It’s the space between emotion and action where our power and freedom reside. Where we decide to not let fear and resistance win.