Outside of the tools involved in whatever it is you are trying to create, (paint, brush, clay, fire, piano, guitar, pen, pencil, paper, laptop…..you get the idea.) the only other two things you need are a deck of cards and a book. But not just any deck of cards or just any book.
1) The deck of cards you need is Oblique Strategies by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt.
2) The book you need it The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
The idea that you have in your mind, the thing you have been trying to create since the moment of your conception is already whole, it’s creation is already complete. The manifestation of it is the only thing lacking. If you are imagining something with your mind and when you close your eyes you can see it, then it is already a real thing. But as real as the thing may be, there are also forces that are just as real acting as antimatter to your creation. These two resources tip the scales in your favor, they give you the leverage you need to do the heavy lifting.
The Obliques Strategies were first given to me by a friend as a printout only a few pages long. Each of the thoughts allowed me to think about my creations in another way or from another perspective. A random drop of my finger on the page would give me the push I needed to move on. But go ahead and get the deck, it’s a much more elegant way of getting the nudge to move forward, and many times all you need is that little nudge.
But sometimes you need a kick in the ass. And that is what you will find in the The War of Art. This book will give you enough fuel for a lifetime of creative work. Just one read will introduce you to the idea of resistance. And just knowing that one idea will make all the difference. But you will keep coming back for more. You will crave the reminder of what lurks beneath. It was this book that allowed me to complete my first novel. I had been a songwriter for many years and had thought about writing a novel from time to time. Maybe when I’m older or maybe when I have a clearer idea of what the novel should be. Maybe. That’s resistance. And once I knew it, I was able to push through it. And you can too.