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.
Steven PressfieldWe fear discovering that we are more than we think we are. More than our parents/children/teachers think we are. We fear that we actually possess the talent that our still, small voice tells us. That we actually have the guts, the perseverance, the capacity. We fear that we truly can steer our ship, plant our flag, reach our Promised Land. We fear this because, if itโs true, then we become estranged from all we know. We pass through a membrane. We become monsters and monstrous.
Steven PressfieldWhen we sit down day after day and keep grinding, something mysterious starts to happen... Unseen forces enlist in our cause; serendipity reinforces our purpose.
Steven PressfieldYou are a writer when you tell yourself you are. No one else's opinion matters. Screw them. You are when you say you are.
Steven PressfieldOur enemy is not lack of preparation; itโs not the difficulty of the project or the state of the marketplace or the emptiness of our bank account. The enemy is our chattering brain, which, if we give it so much as a nanosecond, will start producing excuses, alibis, transparent self-justifications and a million reasons why we canโt/shouldnโt/wonโt do what we know we need to do.
Steven Pressfield