As long as I've been alive, there's existed a battle between what I want in the moment and what I need.

And it transforms, it takes different shapes, but its impact is always felt.

And so the question remains in spite of the option to concede the temporary way out.

Are we willing to endure the now for a beautiful forever? Commit to that delayed gratification?

Hold off just a little longer, do a little more. See, every time I hold the line, every time I refuse to give in, the victory tends to be just

a little sweeter.

So what is this force keeping us from greatness, this invisible, unquantifiable adversary?

Telling us to stop, to submit, to just accept things as they are.

Well, as Stephen Pressfield states in his book, The War of Art, this is resistance.

The ego in disguise, it's the desire to stay the same, pushing us away from the very action necessary

to obtain what we truly want, not in the moment but in our souls. Our true reason for being,

after all progress is happiness. So we follow this train of thought.

The next logical question must be, well, can we control this enemy?

This resistance?

As it turns out, not only is the answer yes, but one's ability to do just that makes all the

difference.

We can harness that demon that lobby so hard for the status quo.

We can learn to laugh every time it throws a fit when we attempt to change ourselves, our situation, our environment.

It can be told no.

In fact, Pressfield states that people who live free lives have learned to master themselves.

People that can't master themselves will find someone else to rule over them.

Whether it be excuses, critics, or other outside constraints.

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