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Steven Pressfield Biography

Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield (born September 1943) is an American author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays.

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Steven Pressfield Quotes

The professional learns to recognize envy-driven criticism and to take it for what it is: the supreme compliment. The critic hates most that which he would have done himself if he had had the guts.

Criticism, Envy, Guts, Hate, Supreme, Take

A great trick that I learned having worked as a screenwriter for many years, the way screenwriters work, is they break the project down into three-act structure: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3. I think that is a great way to break down any project, whether it's a new business or anything at all.

Break, Down, Structure, Thinking, Three, Years

Fame Imperishable and glory that will never die -- that is what we march for!

Fame, Glory, Imperishable, March

The only intercourse possible between the knight and the dragon is battle.

Battle, Dragon, Dragons, Knight, Knights, Possible

A cavalryman's horse should be smarter than he is. But the horse must never be alowed to know this.

Alowed, Horse, Knows, Should, Smarter

One thing I've found in any project is almost universally about three quarters of the way through - or maybe a little father, maybe seventh eighths on the way through - any project will explode.

Eighths, Explode, Father, Littles, Seventh, Three

That’s why an artist must be a warrior and, like all warriors, artists over time acquire modesty and humility. They may, some of them, conduct themselves flamboyantly in public. But alone with the work they are chaste and humble. They know they are not the source of the creations they bring into being. They only facilitate. They carry. They are the willing and skilled instruments of the gods and goddesses they serve.

Acquire, Humble, Humility, Modesty, Warrior

Resistance is implacable, intractable, indefatigable.

Implacable, Indefatigable, Intractable, Resistance

Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work.

Keep, Resistance, Tell, Work

A contemporary or near-future book is much harder because you can't fake the facts. There are people alive who know much more than you do about the subject. You have to really have your research together - and of course no one can know everything about a topic.

Book, Course, Fake, People

The highest treason a crab can commit is to make a leap for the rim of the bucket.

Buckets, Commit, Crabs, Highest, Leap, Rim

That’s why an artist must be a warrior and, like all warriors, artists over time acquire modesty and humility. They may, some of them, conduct themselves flamboyantly in public. But alone with the work they are chaste and humble. They know they are not the source of the creations they bring into being. They only facilitate. They carry. They are the willing and skilled instruments of the gods and goddesses they serve.

Alone, Artists, Carry, Humble, Humility, Warrior

Don't prepare, do. Don't let Resistance sucker you into wasting months on background, foundation, planning. All that can come later.

Background, Foundation, Months, Resistance, Sucker, Wasting

I'm superstitious. I keep mum while I'm working on something.

Keep, Mum, Superstitious, Working

A work-in-progress generates its own energy field. You, the artist or entrepreneur, are pouring love into the work; you are suffusing it with passion and intention and hope.

Artist, Field, Hope, Passion, Pouring, Work

It's one thing to lie to ourselves. It's another thing to believe it.

Believe, Lie, Lying, One Thing, Thing

Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.

Calling, Doubt, Motivational, Paralyzed, Self, Sign

The amateur tweets. The pro works.

Amateur, Pro, Tweet, Tweets, Works

No matter how great a writer, artist, or entrepreneur, he is a mortal, he is fallible. He is not proof against Resistance. He will drop the ball; he will crash. That’s why they call it rewriting.

Artist, Call, Entrepreneur, Rewriting, Work

The professional will not tolerate disorder. . . He wants the carpet vacuumed and the threshold swept, so the Muse may enter and not soil her gown.

Gowns, May, Order, Professional, Threshold, Tolerate

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