Fear doesn't go away. The warrior and the artist live by the same code of necessity, which dictates that the battle must be fought anew every day.
Interpretation
Fear is a constant presence that must be confronted daily by those who pursue their passions.
In this quote, Steven Pressfield emphasizes that fear is an inevitable part of life that never truly disappears. Both warriors and artists embody a similar bravery as they engage in their daily battles, be it in combat or creative expression, highlighting the necessity of facing and overcoming fear to achieve one's goals each day.
In practice
In a motivational speech about pursuing your dreams despite challenges.
Late at night have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn't write, a painter who doesn't paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what Resistance is.
It is one thing to study war and another to live the warrior's life.
The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.
When we sit down day after day and keep grinding, something mysterious starts to happen... Unseen forces enlist in our cause; serendipity reinforces our purpose.
You know, Hitler wanted to be an artist. At eighteen he took his inheritance, seven hundred kronen, and moved to Vienna to live and study... Ever see one of his paintings? Neither have I. Resistance beat him. Call it overstatement but I'll say it anyway: it was easier for Hitler to start World War II than it was for him to face a blank square of canvas.
Itβs better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.
Although the power is lacking, the will is commendable.
How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always, in the final act, by determination and faith.
Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.
Nuclear terrorism is one of the most serious threats of our time. Even one such attack could inflict mass casualties and create immense suffering and unwanted change in the world forever. This prospect should compel all of us to act to prevent such a catastrophe.
Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit, and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again.
Around us there is the presence of evil. The devil is at work. But in a loud voice I say: GOD IS STRONGER.
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