Advice on Achieving Any Long-Haul Dream

The Art of Manliness

In a world that celebrates overnight success, it's easy to forget that very often, achieving your dreams takes a heck of a long time. My guest knows this all too well. You may know Steven Pressfield as the bestselling author of books like The Legend of Bagger Vance, Gates of Fire, and The War of Art, but as he details in his new memoir, Govt Cheese, it took more than a quarter century for him to become a published novelist.

Today on the show, Steven talks about what he learned in that journey, and the many odd jobs, from driving trucks to picking apples, that he took along the way. We discuss the lessons Steven gleaned that apply to achieving any dream, including how to overcome a propensity for self-sabotage, get your ego out of the way, finish what you start, and develop the killer instinct.

This is a great, motivating conversation on learning not to "pull the pin" on the important commitments in your life. And we'll explain what that means coming up.

Resources Related to the Episode

• Steven's previous appearances on the show:
  • #55: The Warrior Ethos
  • #281: Overcoming the Resistance by Turning Pro
  • #692: The Two Halves of the Warrior’s Life
• Steven's books mentioned in the show:
  • Govt Cheese
  • Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be
  • The Legend of Bagger Vance
  • The War of Art
• AoM Article: 4 Key Insights From the Bhagavad Gita
• AoM Article: Hector and Achilles — Two Paths to Manliness
• Seth Godin's pamphlet for learning to "ship it"
• AoM Podcast #849: Live Life in Crescendo

Connect With Steven Pressfield

• Steven's Website
• Steven on IG