How to Overcome Inner Resistance | Steven Pressfield

Andrew Huberman

Oct 20, 2025

Episode description

My guest is Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art and expert in how to overcome the inner force of "resistance"—the self-sabotaging tendency to procrastinate on your life's most important work that keeps you from realizing your professional and creative potential. Steven shares actionable tools for defeating inner resistance that work. His approach is concrete, not based on slogans or inspirational messages. As the author of numerous best-selling books and screenplays, Steven's routines for cultivating discipline and focus, including his physical training regimen (he is incredibly mentally and physically vigorous at 82), are applicable by anyone. He gives you effective practical strategies for how to structure your day, overcome procrastination and self-doubt and do your best, most meaningful work.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/gVuzPzl

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*Steven Pressfield*
Website: https://stevenpressfield.com
Books: https://amzn.to/3L6dVVr
Writing Wednesdays: https://stevenpressfield.com/category/writing-wednesdays
Overcoming Resistance (course): https://silentwritingretreat.com/steven-pressfield
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven_pressfield
X: https://x.com/SPressfield
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spressfield
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUuZco7pCtIm8UvGm8dp8Yg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevePressfield

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*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Steven Pressfield
00:04:55 Ideas & Resistance, Tree & Shadow Analogy
00:08:45 Military, Pushing Through Resistance, War of Art
00:10:14 Physical Training, Tools: Capturing Ideas, Little Successes
00:16:11 Sponsors: Helix Sleep & BetterHelp
00:18:36 Ideas, Invocation of the Muse, Goddess
00:23:19 Writing, Focus, Inner Critic, Perfectionism, Tool: Think in Multiple Drafts
00:28:21 Writing Session; Workout Analogy & Concentration
00:32:28 Aspiring Writers & Focused Hours; Work Session Timing; Phones
00:35:31 Inner Voice; Storytelling, Advertising
00:39:45 Soul & Growth, Creativity, Your Calling & Voices of Resistance, Suppression
00:48:10 Loved Ones: Projection, Resistance & Sabotage
00:51:04 Sponsors: AGZ by AG1 & Rorra
00:53:52 Angry & Numbing Out, Resistance, Internet; Following Your Calling
00:59:00 Mentors: Lessons on Focus & Quitting
01:06:46 Perfectionism
01:10:42 Contemplating Your Mortality, Family Honor
01:16:49 Proving Yourself & Competition
01:22:01 First Movie, Failure, Analyze Feedback?, Tool: Self-Evaluation
01:28:28 Book Success, One-Hit Wonders; Book Titles
01:34:22 Sponsor: Function
01:36:09 Personal Sacrifice; High Achievers & Unbalanced Life; Social Media
01:44:44 Tool: Turning Pro, Amateur vs Professional Habits, Failure, Feelings
01:49:32 Cost of Turning Pro, Tool: Taking Oneself Seriously & Others’ Reactions
01:56:42 Creativity: Practical Advice & Muse; Acts of Faith; Surrender
02:04:00 Sponsor: David
02:05:17 Workspace, Uncomfortable Chair, Physical Labor, Complaining
02:08:13 Forthcoming Book, Book Recommendations
02:13:46 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Invoke muse daily to enhance creativity flow

Creative ideas come not from the subconscious but from an external source or 'Muse,' and reciting a daily invocation can help open the pipeline for those ideas.

#creativity

Shorten and intensify work sessions as skills improve

As you become more skilled at a craft, your focused work sessions should become shorter and more intense because your nervous system becomes more efficient at the work.

#efficiency

#nervous-system

Recognize sabotage from loved ones during personal growth

The people closest to you, like family and spouses, may try to undermine your new calling because your growth acts as an unconscious reproach to them.

#family

#personal-growth

Combine magnesium, theanine, and chamomile for better sleep with AGZ

AG1 has released a new sleep product called AGZ, which combines magnesium threonate, theanine, chamomile, glycine, saffron, and valerian root in one drink.

#sleep

#supplement

Choose projects that challenge your fears for personal growth

If you are considering several projects, you should choose the one you are most afraid of, as that fear is a sign of its importance to your soul's evolution.

#personal-growth

Reject modern ideal of perfect work-life balance for your calling

Pursuing a calling may require an unbalanced life, and one should not necessarily believe in the modern ideal of achieving perfect work-life balance.

#balance

Act on creativity to prevent destructive outcomes

If you don't act on your creative calling, that energy doesn't disappear but instead channels into malignant forms like addiction, cruelty, or self-abuse.

#addiction

#creativity

Use morning workouts to mentally prepare for creative challenges

A difficult morning gym session can serve as a rehearsal for facing the mental resistance of creative work later in the day, making the rest of the day feel easier.