Art Quote by Steven Pressfield
![“We experience [procrastination] as fear. But fear of what? Fear of the consequences of following our heart. Fear of bankruptcy, fear of poverty, fear of insolvency. Fear of groveling when we try to make it on our own, and of groveling when we give up and come crawling back to where we started…” quote by Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/77c/steven-pressfield-696_art_we-experience-procrastination-as-fear-bu_2311406.jpg)
““We experience [procrastination] as fear. But fear of what? Fear of the consequences of following our heart. Fear of bankruptcy, fear of poverty, fear of insolvency. Fear of groveling when we try to make it on our own, and of groveling when we give up and come crawling back to where we started. Fear of being selfish, of being rotten wives or disloyal husbands; fear of failing to support our families, of sacrificing their dreams for ours. Fear of betraying our race, our 'hood, our homies. Fear of failure. Fear of being ridiculous. Fear of throwing away the education, the training, the preparation that those we love have sacrificed so much for, that we ourselves have worked our butts off for. Fear of launching into the void, of hurtling too far out there; fear of passing some point of no return, beyond which we cannot recant, cannot reverse, cannot rescind, but must live with this cocked-up choice for the rest of our lives. Fear of madness. Fear of insanity. Fear of death. These are serious fears. But they're not the real fear. Not the master fear, the mother of all fears that's so close to us that even when we verbalize it we don't believe it. Fear That We Will Succeed.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, 2002
The quote identifies that procrastination stems from deep-seated fears about outcomes, responsibilities, and identity, but the core fear is the anxiety of succeeding and the changes it brings.
In simple terms: Procrastination is fear of success and its consequences.
Key Takeaway
Confront and and accept the possibility of success.
Themes
fear
procrastination
identity
success
responsibility
Mood
anxious
reflective
motivational
Type
advice
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- creative projects
- personal relationships
- financial ventures
- education pursuits
Key Concepts
psychology
self‑sabotage
existential anxiety
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you do if you were not afraid of succeeding?
- How can you reframe success as a growth opportunity?
A Different Perspective
Success can bring new pressures and expectations that may feel overwhelming.
