Comments on: Personal Anguish http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/ Website of author and historian, Steven Pressfield. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:07:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Steven Pressfield & Seth Godin: Artists in the New Dark Age | Demon Muse http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-2/#comment-1922 Steven Pressfield & Seth Godin: Artists in the New Dark Age | Demon Muse Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:17:29 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1922 [...] the starker and darker corridors of the creative life, consider Pressfield’s blog post “Personal Anguish” (Sept. 9, 2009), in which he references Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2009 TED Conference speech [...] [...] the starker and darker corridors of the creative life, consider Pressfield’s blog post “Personal Anguish” (Sept. 9, 2009), in which he references Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2009 TED Conference speech [...]

]]> By: Greta James http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-2/#comment-1921 Greta James Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:32:24 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1921 Your blog is encouraging as I climb upwards from the black hole of depression! Your blog is encouraging as I climb upwards from the black hole of depression!

]]> By: Jenny http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-2/#comment-1920 Jenny Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:48:37 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1920 Fantastic post and a fantastic blog. I'm a new RSS subscriber and look forward to seeing more! Fantastic post and a fantastic blog. I’m a new RSS subscriber and look forward to seeing more!

]]> By: Tom Epps http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-2/#comment-1919 Tom Epps Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:50:51 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1919 I agree with your thesis. As an example, one of my favorite authors suffered the horrifying loss of a family member in a senselessly violent crime a few years ago, and the books he has written since have been dark, brooding, violent, and without question the best he has ever produced. I've discussed this at length with him via email and he allows that writing has become his way of exorcising the demons that torment him every day since his family's loss. I agree with your thesis. As an example, one of my favorite authors suffered the horrifying loss of a family member in a senselessly violent crime a few years ago, and the books he has written since have been dark, brooding, violent, and without question the best he has ever produced. I’ve discussed this at length with him via email and he allows that writing has become his way of exorcising the demons that torment him every day since his family’s loss.

]]> By: Patricia Ryan Madson http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-2/#comment-1918 Patricia Ryan Madson Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:20:07 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1918 I appreciate being reminded of this. And, it is also true that you don't have to be undergoing some personal suffering to show up to your work. Through hell or boredom, though all kinds of weather just sit down and start typing. That will get her attention . . that Muse. I am always enlightened by your posts. Thanks for stopping on Wednesdays to speak to us about these things. I appreciate being reminded of this. And, it is also true that you don’t have to be undergoing some personal suffering to show up to your work. Through hell or boredom, though all kinds of weather just sit down and start typing. That will get her attention . . that Muse. I am always enlightened by your posts. Thanks for stopping on Wednesdays to speak to us about these things.

]]> By: wisner http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-1/#comment-1917 wisner Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:14:52 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1917 Steven, I have called those personal struggles "Friction". I love Friction and hate it at the same time. I have felt pure inspiration at the most trying times of my life. It seems my position in the Universe is revealed and deep within my soul I can find peace. Peace in the form of untainted truth not the kind of peace that sings, "happy happy, joy joy." Truthful peace...my self deception or self images are shattered. I know at that moment the outcome of my folies. I may feel anger, embarassment, sadness or all at the same time. However, I know the truth. When this happens, from that spot deep within my soul comes the solution(s). The solution(s) don't need revising. They don't need consensus from outsiders. They have already been validated and I instinctively know it...it's not a gutteral knowledge but a spiritual knowledge. I have no other way to get to this plane than through Friction. My problem...Friction is painful and I love the peace and all that comes with it as much as I hate the pain. Steven, I have called those personal struggles “Friction”. I love Friction and hate it at the same time. I have felt pure inspiration at the most trying times of my life. It seems my position in the Universe is revealed and deep within my soul I can find peace. Peace in the form of untainted truth not the kind of peace that sings, “happy happy, joy joy.” Truthful peace…my self deception or self images are shattered. I know at that moment the outcome of my folies. I may feel anger, embarassment, sadness or all at the same time. However, I know the truth. When this happens, from that spot deep within my soul comes the solution(s). The solution(s) don’t need revising. They don’t need consensus from outsiders. They have already been validated and I instinctively know it…it’s not a gutteral knowledge but a spiritual knowledge. I have no other way to get to this plane than through Friction. My problem…Friction is painful and I love the peace and all that comes with it as much as I hate the pain.

]]> By: J. Hobbins http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-1/#comment-1916 J. Hobbins Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:42:42 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1916 Great post, Steven. Tangential to this, these thoughts remind me of an individual (not famous and not a writer) I knew and greatly respected who had very challenging life circumstances and who found solace in workaholism - it wasn't a perfect solution as anyone who has known a workaholic can attest - but of all the -aholisms, it is probably the least harmful to those around one. I personally find that when my life isn't all that I wish it could be, my work (my writing) is a great solace. The trick, as always, is overcoming procrastination and plunking oneself down to do the actual writing. I will keep this blog post - and the example set by my workaholic friend - in mind ongoing. Thank you. Great post, Steven. Tangential to this, these thoughts remind me of an individual (not famous and not a writer) I knew and greatly respected who had very challenging life circumstances and who found solace in workaholism – it wasn’t a perfect solution as anyone who has known a workaholic can attest – but of all the -aholisms, it is probably the least harmful to those around one. I personally find that when my life isn’t all that I wish it could be, my work (my writing) is a great solace. The trick, as always, is overcoming procrastination and plunking oneself down to do the actual writing. I will keep this blog post – and the example set by my workaholic friend – in mind ongoing. Thank you.

]]> By: Susan Johnstone http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-1/#comment-1915 Susan Johnstone Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:34:59 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1915 <blockquote cite="The painter paints and the writer writes from a place that has nothing to do with the personal. "> That's such a great thing to remember in the middle of our personal 'process'. I often find that my personal ego and that untouched essence where the creativity comes from are telling two completely different stories about my pain. My ego is saying "I can't believe how much this hurts...my house is a mess...my cat hates me...." and my essence is saying "look how the attachments are burning away...look how raw I'm becoming and how I can be touched by the smallest things...How glorious..." I wonder sometimes if the impersonal Muse actually has a hand in making me more accessible in this way... that is if I can stay out of the self-pity long enough to let her have her way. = >

That’s such a great thing to remember in the middle of our personal ‘process’. I often find that my personal ego and that untouched essence where the creativity comes from are telling two completely different stories about my pain. My ego is saying “I can’t believe how much this hurts…my house is a mess…my cat hates me….” and my essence is saying “look how the attachments are burning away…look how raw I’m becoming and how I can be touched by the smallest things…How glorious…”

I wonder sometimes if the impersonal Muse actually has a hand in making me more accessible in this way… that is if I can stay out of the self-pity long enough to let her have her way. = >

]]> By: Aisha http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-1/#comment-1914 Aisha Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:12:26 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1914 Very good article. I think that at times the emotions and chaos are so great that to process them and go through them require a great release in the form of the creative process. It's the need to create that sometimes doesn't show it's biggest intensity until something upsetting happens that makes alot of work created during these times so wonderful. It would be nice however not to have to go through the difficult times, but at least something productive can come of it. Very good article. I think that at times the emotions and chaos are so great that to process them and go through them require a great release in the form of the creative process. It’s the need to create that sometimes doesn’t show it’s biggest intensity until something upsetting happens that makes alot of work created during these times so wonderful. It would be nice however not to have to go through the difficult times, but at least something productive can come of it.

]]> By: Gillian Treacy http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2009/09/writing-wednesdays-7-personal-anguish/comment-page-1/#comment-1913 Gillian Treacy Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:50:26 +0000 http://blog.stevenpressfield.com/?p=791#comment-1913 Thanks for the link to Elizabeth Gilbert's talk. Very moving. Thanks also, of course, for The War of Art, very inspiring in that same replacing your wishbone with backbone kind of way. Thanks for the link to Elizabeth Gilbert’s talk. Very moving. Thanks also, of course, for The War of Art, very inspiring in that same replacing your wishbone with backbone kind of way.

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