What is Resistance?

Each of us lives two lives. The life we live and the unloved life. What stands between the two is Resistance.

Resistance is the voice in our head that tells us we are not good enough. It tells us to blend in, avoid making a ruckus.

Resistance takes many forms. It could be in the form of anxiety—worrying about things before they happen. Addiction is another obvious one. But it also appears more subtlely. Sitting down to work on a project that you’re stuck on, you have the sudden urge to pick up the phone and call your mom. It’s not a bad thing, and yet, we are still avoiding the scary, important work we must do. It is another form of hiding.

Why is it so hard to commit to doing work that might fail?

Because of Resistance. Because we don’t want to waste our time, to be laughed at or judged.

The greater the calling, the more Resistance you will face.

HT Steve Pressfield.