--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Resistance is a repelling force. It’s…" description: "\"“Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.”\" — Steven Pressfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/steven-pressfield-696_revolution_resistance-is-a-repelling-force-it-s-neg_1043945.jpg" --- # Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is… ![“Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.” quote by Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/steven-pressfield-696_revolution_resistance-is-a-repelling-force-it-s-neg_1043945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/steven-pressfield-696_revolution_resistance-is-a-repelling-force-it-s-neg_1043945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/176/steven-pressfield-696_revolution_resistance-is-a-repelling-force-it-s-neg_1043945.jpg) > ““Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.”” [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resistance acts as a negative force that pushes us away from our work, creating distraction and avoidance. **In simple terms:** Resistance distracts and blocks work. Key Takeaway Identify and confront resistance directly. Themes productivity psychology motivation Mood frustrated determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - creative projects - writing - exercise - learning new skills Key Concepts inner conflict self sabotage focus Questions to Reflect On - What tasks are you avoiding? - How does resistance manifest for you? A Different Perspective Resistance can be internalized and hard to recognize. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Repelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repelling/) [Repelling Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repelling-force-2456287/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Resistance Repelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance-repelling-2456286/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Shove Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shove-away-1481070/) ## Related quotes > [Resistance in my experience always kicks in when you're trying to move from a lower level to a higher level or to identify with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-in-my-experience-always-kicks-in-when-you-re-trying-to/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [ Its \[Resistance\] aim is to shove us away, distract us from doing our work. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/its-resistance-aim-is-to-shove-us-away-distract-us-from-doing-our-work/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Courage is worthy of respect when displayed in the maintenance of legitimate claims and in the repelling of aggressions, bodily or other. Courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/courage-is-worthy-of-respect-when-displayed-in-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Push something in someone’s face, and they will shove it away reflexively. Threaten to snatch it away from them, and sometimes they become convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/push-something-in-someone-s-face-and-they-will-shove-it-away/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [So many bad things have happened to them that they can't trust the good things. They have to shove them away before someone can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/so-many-bad-things-have-happened-to-them-that-they-can-t-trust-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“I wanted to shove her away, thinking of my job, of headlines, of how this kind of comfort was outside the behavioral guidelines of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-ward/i-wanted-to-shove-her-away-thinking-of-my-job-of-headlines-of-how/) [BJ Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-ward/) > [Anything that draws attention to ourselves through pain-free or artificial means is a manifestation of Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/anything-that-draws-attention-to-ourselves-through-pain-free-or/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/most-of-us-have-two-lives-the-life-we-live-and-the-unlived-life/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Shame is the raincoat over the soul repelling the living water of Jesus that would otherwise establish us as the beloved of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-comiskey/shame-is-the-raincoat-over-the-soul-repelling-the-living-water-of/) [Andrew Comiskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-comiskey/) > [Is there any wilderness of sand in the deserts of Arabia, is there any prospect of desolation among the ruins of Palestine, which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/is-there-any-wilderness-of-sand-in-the-deserts-of-arabia-is-there-any/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [The student should bear in mind that the very essence of consciousness is constantly to identify itself with the Not-Self, and as constantly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-e-powell/the-student-should-bear-in-mind-that-the-very-essence-of/) [Arthur E. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-e-powell/) > [I'm really happy that people understand that man-repelling is a good thing. I was afraid people would think I was mocking fashion, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/i-m-really-happy-that-people-understand-that-man-repelling-is-a-good/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [So long as a man-of-war exists, it must ever remain a picture of much that is tyrannical and repelling in human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/so-long-as-a-man-of-war-exists-it-must-ever-remain-a-picture-of-much/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Snobbery might sometimes look cool, like smoking, but the end result is usually a repelling one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-zelazny/snobbery-might-sometimes-look-cool-like-smoking-but-the-end-result-is/) [Trent Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-zelazny/) > [My blog is not about repelling men, it's about good fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/my-blog-is-not-about-repelling-men-it-s-about-good-fashion/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) ## More by Steven Pressfield > [Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/most-of-us-have-two-lives-the-life-we-live-and-the-unlived-life/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“The artist and the fundamentalist both confront the same issue, the mystery of their existence as individuals. Each asks the same questions: Who am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-and-the-fundamentalist-both-confront-the-same-issue-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The professional arms himself with patience, not only to give the stars time to align in his career, but to keep himself from flaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-professional-arms-himself-with-patience-not-only-to-give-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [To labor in the arts for any reason other than love is prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/to-labor-in-the-arts-for-any-reason-other-than-love-is-prostitution/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“that of dealing death, of loosing another man’s soul and sending it down to hell. You want to savor it, to twist the blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/that-of-dealing-death-of-loosing-another-man-s-soul-and-sending-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-is-experienced-as-fear-the-degree-of-fear-equates-to-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us... Ideas come. Insights accrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-we-sit-down-each-day-and-do-our-work-power-concentrates-around/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Anything that draws attention to ourselves through pain-free or artificial means is a manifestation of Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/anything-that-draws-attention-to-ourselves-through-pain-free-or/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Gnostics believed that exile was the essential condition of man. Do you agree? I do. The artist and the addict both wrestle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-gnostics-believed-that-exile-was-the-essential-condition-of-man/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life's star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/our-birth-is-but-a-sleep-and-a-forgetting-the-soul-that-rises-with-us/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [You are a writer when you tell yourself you are. No one else's opinion matters. Screw them. You are when you say you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/you-are-a-writer-when-you-tell-yourself-you-are-no-one-else-s-opinion/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance outwits the amateur with the oldest trick in the book: It uses his own enthusiasm against him. Resistance gets us to plunge into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-outwits-the-amateur-with-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“I don't need to read nothing,' said the New Zealander. 'I was there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/i-don-t-need-to-read-nothing-said-the-new-zealander-i-was-there/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) [Explore all 404 Steven Pressfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## More Repelling quotes > [Shame is the raincoat over the soul repelling the living water of Jesus that would otherwise establish us as the beloved of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-comiskey/shame-is-the-raincoat-over-the-soul-repelling-the-living-water-of/) [Andrew Comiskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-comiskey/) > [I'm really happy that people understand that man-repelling is a good thing. I was afraid people would think I was mocking fashion, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/i-m-really-happy-that-people-understand-that-man-repelling-is-a-good/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [Courage is worthy of respect when displayed in the maintenance of legitimate claims and in the repelling of aggressions, bodily or other. Courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/courage-is-worthy-of-respect-when-displayed-in-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Is there any wilderness of sand in the deserts of Arabia, is there any prospect of desolation among the ruins of Palestine, which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/is-there-any-wilderness-of-sand-in-the-deserts-of-arabia-is-there-any/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [My blog is not about repelling men, it's about good fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/my-blog-is-not-about-repelling-men-it-s-about-good-fashion/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [The student should bear in mind that the very essence of consciousness is constantly to identify itself with the Not-Self, and as constantly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-e-powell/the-student-should-bear-in-mind-that-the-very-essence-of/) [Arthur E. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-e-powell/) > [So long as a man-of-war exists, it must ever remain a picture of much that is tyrannical and repelling in human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/so-long-as-a-man-of-war-exists-it-must-ever-remain-a-picture-of-much/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Snobbery might sometimes look cool, like smoking, but the end result is usually a repelling one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-zelazny/snobbery-might-sometimes-look-cool-like-smoking-but-the-end-result-is/) [Trent Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-zelazny/) > [Anyone can leave the body and do astral traveling, but they have to believe that ' they can do ' this. It is quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lobsang-rampa/anyone-can-leave-the-body-and-do-astral-traveling-but-they-have-to/) [Lobsang Rampa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lobsang-rampa/) > [Resistance in my experience always kicks in when you're trying to move from a lower level to a higher level or to identify with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-in-my-experience-always-kicks-in-when-you-re-trying-to/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [In proportion as the people are accustomed to manage their affairs by their own active intervention, instead of leaving them to the government, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-proportion-as-the-people-are-accustomed-to-manage-their-affairs-by/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is little favorable to be said about poverty, but it was often an incubator of true friendship. Many people will appear to befriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/there-is-little-favorable-to-be-said-about-poverty-but-it-was-often/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [the experience of having brothers and sisters, born of the same parents, sleeping under the same roof, eating at the same table, is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-experience-of-having-brothers-and-sisters-born-of-the-same/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Every man is an infinitely repelling orb, and holds his individual being on that condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-man-is-an-infinitely-repelling-orb-and-holds-his-individual/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [All things are made of atoms - little particles that move around in perpetual motion, attracting each other when they are a little distance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-things-are-made-of-atoms-little-particles-that-move-around-in-2/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) [Browse all 16 Repelling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repelling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. 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