The book, The War of Art, helped me write this post.
The War of Art is a book designed to help people see why they are stuck creatively. And how to get unstuck. By not looking outward. But looking inward.
When we look inward we see the ego for what it is. The ego likes things just the way they are.
Most things we do is controlled by the ego. Everything from brushing our teeth to paying the bills. The ego keeps us in the day to day. The ego keeps us safe. It says things like, don’t stand out and buy that car. And when it’s time to sit down to write our book, the ego tells us to mow the lawn. Because who else is going to mow the fucking lawn?
What does your ego want?
My ego wants me to drink alcohol. My ego wants people to like me. My ego doesn’t want me to look bad. My ego wants me to watch TV. My ego wants the petty to be important.
The author shares a parable about the doctor and the patient: The doctor, dressed in white, tells the patient he has six months to live. In a flash, he becomes aware of what really matters. Things that sixty seconds earlier had seemed important suddenly appear meaningless. He realizes that critical business deal isn’t all that vital. Concerns that he had dismissed now take on supreme importance. He thinks to himself, the fight with my wife was so petty. I need to get to her and tell her I love her.
“Faced with our imminent extinction, all assumptions are called into question. What does our life mean? Have we lived it right? Are there vital acts we’ve left unperformed, crucial words unspoken? Is it too late?”
We have more than six months to live. But we are going to die.
I imagine myself sometime in the future, with a few hours to live. It’s a casual setting. A soft room. Kids are running and playing. People are all around me. I want to listen. This is the greatest moment of my life.
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