Опір даремний, Opir daremnyy, Resistance is Futile (Ukrainian)
Опір даремний, Opir daremnyy, Resistance is Futile (Ukrainian)
Part 1 – What my Peers are saying.
Part 2 – What Others are Saying
Part 3 – What I learned from Word of Art
Part 4 – Epilogue
Steven Pressfield’s War of Art [1]provided a welcomed message for the cohort struggling to finish papers and live life (births, weddings, family/Christmas stuff).
Part 1 What my Peers are saying.
DLGPO2 -Jenny Dooley writes, “I am struggling to differentiate between my priorities and my resistance.
Pressfield goes on to say, “Resistance is fear.”[2] When I consider resistance as fear it opens up space for me to consider what am I afraid of that keeps me from my writing. He continues, “Master the fear and we conquer resistance.”[3] The only way I know how to do that is to name my fears, challenge them with truth, and make adjustments as needed.
In the spirit of pop culture I hearken back to an oldie but goodie. “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ― Frank Herbert, Dune (https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3634639-dune)
When it comes to moving forward on things, the worst thing to say to my crazy ideas is “no.” I double down to prove that it CAN be done. External Resistance for me is not fear – but an obstacle to be overcome. I will have to dwell on internal resistance (see things I learned).
DLGPO2 – Jennifer Vernam has different take on resistance, she writes…What I found was a series of observations that varied from mine. In fact, I struggled to get to his real meaning because the differing views were pronounced. For example, when I talk about resistance, I am usually speaking to leaders who are leading change, and we are discussing barriers to adopting change. It is a topic I have a lot of fun talking about, so when I read his take on it and see vastly different descriptions, I become distracted. For example, where he says resistance is the enemy[4] because it gets in the way of your accomplishments, I teach that resistance is a tool to leverage for change because if you understand it, you understand what matters to you and your team. Where he says that resistance is invisible,[5] I argue that it is often visible and I teach others how to recognize it.
Jennifer shares my experience with resistance. I have discovered that in our nonprofit in Hungary and Slovakia, MANAGERS have primacy of place in keeping the organization running. However, what is needed now is LEADERS for Ukraine. Vision casters, team builders who inspire and energize subordinates.
DLGPO2 – Travis Vaughn writes.. “The professional concentrates on the work and allows rewards to come or not come, whatever they like.”[6] This was like Kleon’s advice that I mentioned earlier. Do good work first. Don’t worry about the applause. That may come later. He concludes, Pressfield is partly right. We often imagine that our lives, our worth, our whatever…should be better, more like _____ (fill in the blank). But there is an ideal – rather, a SOMEONE – we need to consider. We are called to imitate God (see Ephesians 5:1). But we don’t do this in our own power. This the work of God – to conform us “to the image of his Son.”[22] In Christ, image bearers can do the good work God has for us to do.[23]
Amen, When we put on our God Goggles, all things are possible through Him.
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Part 2 What others are saying.
THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield | Core Message by Nathan Lorenzo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpzpJDRxTuY) gives a quick 5 minute overview AND provides a PDF summary for your review. A snippet.
Amazon.com “Yes, The War of Art is hell. But Steven Pressfield is our Clausewitz who shows how you too
can battle against The Four Horsemen of The Apologetic: sloth, inertia, rationalization and procrastination. Shakespeare, Rembrandt and Beethoven all are proof of what you can do with talent and General Pressfield.” – Frank Deford, author and NPR commentator
More on Steven Pressfield.
Pressfield is indeed used at the U.S. Naval Academy. From Leader Development in the US Department of Defense: A Brief Historical Review and Assessment for the Future, Joseph J. Thomas, Distinguished Military Professor of Leadership.[7]
Thomas writes, “Perhaps the best summary of the imperatives of effective leadership comes from a best-selling historical novel called “Gates of Fire” by a former Marine named Steven Pressfield. In it, a character tells the Persians why the Spartan King Leonidas is more effective than their own and, therefore, why the Spartan soldiers are more effective: ”
“A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men’s loyalty through fear nor purchase it with gold; he earns their love by the sweat of his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last.
A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him.”
This parallels the message Jules Glanzer writes in his Sound of Leadership, where Glanzer describes U.S.
Military leadership training, Glanzer writes, “Listen, See. Learn. Do. Love –– Glanzer quotes General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff of the Army, “You must love those you lead before you can be an effective leader. You can certainly command without that sense of commitment, but you cannot lead without it. And without leadership, command is a hallow experience, a vacuum often filled with mistrust and arrogance”,[8]
Part 3 What Pressfield wrote and what I learned
Pressfield struck a nerve, when he started on “Resistance Recruits Allies”[9] He goes on to say Resistance by definition is self-sabotage. He writes, “….provides immediate and powerful gratification…Resistance gets a big kick out of that. It knows it has distracted us with a cheap, easy fix and kept us from doing our work….It goes without saying that this principle applies to drugs, shopping, TV, gossip, alcohol, and the consumption of all products containing fat, sugar, salt or chocolate.”[10]
Guilty as charged.
If anything Pressfield gives me impetus to solidify my battle Plan against distractions
- Partition off a day that is only DLGP/NPO time – 0300-0600 (Study Sweet Spot).
- Shave off other EXTRA group gatherings, couple’s bible study, Teaching ESL at Pikes Peak State College, Teaching online for Dallas Baptist University.
- Save House husband duties for the afternoon when creative brain power is low, BUT engage in the Default Mode Network while doing mindless tasks. Unleash the UNCONCIOUS on the academic effort of the moment.
- Change up. Make time for my other passion – GoodSports Ukraine.
- Exercise moderately/Cook Healthy/One alcoholic drink a day.
- Give up on sleep.
Colorado Springs In August 2023 – the month before our big trip to Oxford, England I cleaned off my desk at Pikes Peak State College. I decided that my place was no longer in the classroom teaching Grammar to speakers of other languages (TESOL). I would miss some of my students but felt relieved to be away from those entitled students who can only be described as “pampered.” . I removed myself from the Rotary Club, Tuesday night bible study and other group gatherings that took me away from my NPO and other academic work.
Sigh, but life intruded in the form of the Ukrainian war. I am regularly glued to my couch spending ours of monitoring the cost of war in Ukraine and now Israel. Shaking my head as a new generation discovered the terms “collateral damage, civilian casualties, war crimes, the list goes on.”
My day as a soldier is done, but I have a daughter at the U.S. Air Force Academy and a son in the U.S. Army. The son is heading to Germany this month and his unit has a partial mission to support Finland facing Russia. The potential for war and my children’s part in it is a maelstrom of pride and fear.
In this book review (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1319.The_War_of_Art) I discovered that Pressfield was a Marine. He wrote, ‘There’s a recurring character in my books named Telamon, a mercenary of ancient days. Telamon doesn’t say much. He rarely gets hurt or wounded. And he never seems to age. His view of the profession of arms is a lot like my conception of art and the artist: Pressfield finds me nodding in agreeement, he writes.
“It is one thing to study war, and another to live the warrior’s life.”
Forgive the rabbit trail, but I will never be an extraordinary writer, teacher or artist. But I do have an eye on a prize. This program has awakened me to the potential for me to effect change in my small corner of world and its ability to love the “alien amongst us – (Deut 10:18). I feel driven not only to explore the great divide on this topic but also to provide solutions and invite others to dialog. Every warrior (and I suppose every DLGP student) needs something worth fighting for.
Epilogue: Resistance is futile
This will only have meaning for Star Trek Fans. A different spin on “resistance.”
If there becomes a time whenever I have free time, I shall seek out his other books, Gates of Fire, Tides of War, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, and The Profession.
Shalom, Shalom (perfect peace)
[1] Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (New York City, NY: Black Irish Entertainment, Inc., 2002), The Unlived Chapter.
[2] Ibid, 55.
[3] Ibid, 16.
[4] Ibid, 4.
[5] Ibid, 16.
[6] Pressfield, 43.
[7] Thomas, Joseph J. “Leader Development in the US Department of Defense: A Brief Historical Review and Assessment for the Future,” n.d.
[8] Glanzer Jules (author). Sound of Leadership Kingdom Notes to Fine Tune Your Life and Influence. Invite Press, 1901, 29.
[9] Pressfield, p. 18
[10] Ibid, p. 22)
About the Author
Russell Chun
interlinkt.org is now ready for your Refugee Resettlement needs. 15 tasks, languages ESL plans coming6 responses to “Опір даремний, Opir daremnyy, Resistance is Futile (Ukrainian)”
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Russ, I want to politely disagree with you. I think you are an extraordinary artist. Your passion for the immigrant and “alien” is infectious and I have no doubt you are going to impact the world in this space not as a manager or bureaucrat but as a leader and, yes, artist.
I really appreciated your father’s heart about your kids in this season. I’m praying with you for their protection.
Tim,
You are too kind.
Every time I interview someone on immigration (I just finished one today), I learn something new.
Daron George (DLGP01) is uploading the twelve languages onto interlinkt.org
Prayerfully, churches will find a use for the refugee resettlement tasks found therein.
Blessings of the season for you and yours.
Shalom.
Hi Russell,
I agree with Tim. You are an artist with many gifts and talents which you are putting to good use for others. And, I too will prayer for your children. I don’t know if I ever heard the story of how you became so passionate about immigration. I would love to hear more.
Hi Jenny,
Ahh Immigration…. During my time in Hungary I discovered that one of the largest refugee camps was only 10 km from my house.
Initially, my action verse was James 1:27, Orphans and Widows. I discovered that it was sourced in Deut 10:18 Orphans, Widows and the alien amongst us. This began my work with refugees, their plight and their needs. When I got back to the states I did an internship with World Relief Resettlement, the rest is history.
Thanks for asking.
The insights on overcoming resistance and fear in “War of Art” seem quite profound. It’s interesting how the concept of resistance is viewed differently by Jenny Dooley, Jennifer Vernam, and Travis. It seems that recognizing and confronting our fears can be transformative. Do you believe that understanding and leveraging resistance can lead to significant personal and professional growth?
Hi Matthieu,
I don’t want to overthink it. But, yes, resistance, challenges, all cause change. One hopes for the better!
Shalom…