Great Article by Stephen Pressfield

1. ‘‘ I thInk we’re all
terrIfIed to be what
‘‘
we’re meant to be.
05 steve
pressfIeld
22 “I went through a lot of struggle that helped
me fIgure out what mattered to me.”
29
JAN
“no lIfe Is Immune from
the ups and downs...” 2 011

2. CONTENTS TIPS
THE war of arT
5 Best if viewed in
Acrobat Reader.
Steve Pressfield click here to download.
17
rEaliTy gavE ouT on mE Best viewed full screen.
Pema Chodron Click above icon to go full screen.
22
THE arT of succEss
Jen Bekman
29
THE DETErminED sTrEak
Lynda Resnick

3. fear.less
Ishita Gupta Publisher
Matt Atkinson Executive Editor
advertising [at] fearlessstories [dot] com Advertising fearlessstories.com
Emil Lamprecht Deputy Editor
Katie Byrne Copy Editor
Jason Ramirez Senior Designer
scribd.com/fearlessstories
aCkNOwlEdgmENTS
twitter.com/fearlessstories
Fear.less would not exist without our contributors. We thank them for their
time, generosity, and wisdom.
facebook.com/fearlessstories
You’re given the unlimited right to print and distribute this magazine and
we encourage you to share it. You may not alter this in any way though, and
you may not charge for it or for any of the content. The copyright in this
work belongs to the publishers, who are solely responsible for the content.
All images used with permission of contributors. Please send feedback or
questions to info@fearlessstories.com. To subscribe to the magazine for
free, go to http://www.fearlessstories.com.

4. “ Many men go fishing all of their
lives without knowing that it is
not fish they are after.”
Henry David Thoreau

5. 5
“ My experience as a writer was
far more about overcoming my
fear than it was about the craft of
writing. ”
THE waR
OF aRT
An InTERvIEW WITh
STEvEn PRESSFIELD
I: In The War of Art, you talk about the force of
Resistance based on your own experience as a
writer, writing screenplays and novels. You noticed
that while you struggled with Resistance, many of
email sign up

6. 6
it was fear. My resistance, to deal with it, I thought,
or whatever you’d like to “I’ve got to get this down
call it, gave me so many for other people,” because
bullshit reasons in my I hadn’t read it anywhere
head why I shouldn’t else or heard anybody
finish the novel, and it talking about this force.
actually convinced me. Books about writing that
Perhaps on a deeper level I’d seen were about the
I felt it, but on the surface craft of writing, not about
I was so full of excuses, ra- how freaking scary it is
tionalizations and blam- just to sit down and face
ing other people or influ- the typewriter. That’s why
ences that I didn’t see my I started it. Because my
own fear. Finally, over the experience as a writer
years of trying to redeem was far more about over-
your friends did as well. full-time into this writing myself from that failure, coming fear than it was,
Was that the inspira- thing and totally cracked which was not only a or is, about any of the
tion for the book? out about 99.9% of the failure for me, but for my craft or anything else. The
way through it, but then wife and family because craft of writing is pretty
S: I’ve been thinking I just choked. Fear seized I blew everything up and easy. It’s the overcoming
about this because I’ve me and I quit. My mar- hurt everybody around of the fear that’s the hard
actually started to plot riage broke up, my writ- me, I realized what that part.
out The War of Art 2. I ing stopped, and on and force was. It became clear
thought about the first on, and lots of terrible to me that fear, or Resis- I: Why do you think that
novel I tried to write stuff happened. tance, was the dominant is? Why does it scare us
when I was a 24-year-old thing in my life. so much? I spoke to an
married guy in new York At the time, the insidi- advertising executive
City. I quit my advertis- ous part of the fear was So now, 20 or 25 years sometime last year for
ing job and just plunged that I didn’t even realize later, as I evolved a way the magazine and he
email sign up

7. 7
could be five feet from
the summit of Mount “ I ThInK WE’RE
Everest, but if there’s a
ledge under you, you’re
TERRIFIED, TO BE WhAT
not exposed. But if you’re
20 feet off the ground
WE’RE MEAnT TO BE.
and there’s a straight BECAuSE ThEn ALL ThE
drop underneath you,
then you’re exposed - and RESPOnSIBILITY LAYS On
being exposed is when
you really need to be a
uS AnD WE CAn’T hIDE
great mountain climber. BEhInD AnYThInG. ”
So, I think one of the fears
said, “The biggest fear is just falling off the side
I have is the blank can- of the mountain, which says “heaven” and the people that I admire are
vas.” is a pretty valid fear be- other says “Books about those who’ve picked the
cause it’s no fun to crash heaven.” It’s so much door that says heaven
S: You know, I think there and burn. But I don’t think easier to read the books and are not afraid, or if
are two things, and we’ll that’s the big fear. The about heaven because they are afraid, they’ve
do the easy one first. big fear is more of suc- you know, if I open that overcome that fear and
There’s a term in moun- ceeding than of failing. door and go to heaven, aren’t afraid to be every-
tain climbing called I’m not sure why that’s so holy cow. I think we’re thing they can be and not
“Exposure.” A climber is terrifying, but it is. It’s like all terrified of that, to hold back anything.
exposed when there’s that famous cartoon from be what we’re meant to
a big drop underneath the new Yorker where a be. Because then all the I: What do you think
him, and he’s not exposed perplexed-looking person responsibility lays on us it is about the people
when there’s a ledge is standing in front of two and we can’t hide behind who choose that door?
underneath him. So you closed doors. One door anything. Certainly the Do you think we can all
email sign up

8. 8
manifest that quality
and be that person for
ourselves?
S: I have a theory, which
could be wrong, that do-
ing the fearless thing is
what creates charisma
and that you can tell a
successful person by
someone who does what
scares them. Bob Dylan
comes to mind. here’s
a guy who’s really been
himself, totally, and
there’s that indescribable
charisma. I have another
friend, who’s maybe ten
years older than me who’s
a mentor. he’s gay and
when I first knew him and in those days was a big think that somehow fear- make sure we’re being
worked for him in the late deal. he just said, “This lessness creates charisma. who we are? We don’t
sixties, he was the most is who I am. I don’t give do that enough.
unapologetically himself a shit what any of you I: You’re right. We spend
of anybody that I’ve ever think.” And he did ex- so much time worrying S: no, we certainly don’t.
known and it was tremen- actly what he wanted to if people will approve of Most people are para-
dously inspirational to be do and he was fantastic what we’re doing, but lyzed by that and even
around him because to about it, in business and how often do we check those of us that are aware
be an open homosexual in every other way. So I in with ourselves and of it, it’s still an incredible
email sign up

9. 9
effort to be able to do it. I
can tell you that I’m work-
S: I do and I can’t really
explain it. It’s interest-
“ PART OF
ing on it all the time. ing from a writer’s point ThE Ex-
I: It’s a discipline and
of view, because a lot of
times we don’t even know ERCISE OF
a learning that being
comfortable in your
what we really think. Part
of the exercise of writing
WRITInG
own skin just might re- for me is that I discover in FOR ME IS
duce fear. the act of it who I am and
what I think. It’s like what ThAT I
S: I think it is, and I’m not
sure why the terror is as
comes out on the page,
that must be me. In other
DISCOvER
great as it is. You’d think it words, fear arises when In ThE ACT
would be easy to be your-
self or do what you love
we’re on the brink of tak-
ing some action because
OF IT WhO
or say what you believe, in some way we know I AM AnD
but it’s not. We get wor-
ried about rejection and
it will reveal ourselves
to the world, and that’s WhAT I
then our censor doesn’t
let us go beyond it. That’s
frightening. ThInK. ”
why it’s necessary to have We’re totally exposed and
a model, because it in- the crazy part of it is that “Wow, that’s better than
spires you to that same that’s when we’re at our I thought I could be!” It
level and helps you when best, when we’re most in seems like the antidote
you’re around it. touch with our own pow- for me is a relentless, pro-
er. And you look back at fessional discipline - con-
I: Do you think fear of that page, at something tinuing to push myself
success is greater than you did that you didn’t and demystify the fear as
the fear of failure? know was in you and say, much as possible so I’m
email sign up

10. 10
not facing the dragon ev- I: It’s like having your and he tells you exactly day.” You have to detach
eryday but just getting up heart pulled out of your how you should measure yourself from expectation
to work. chest. it. You don’t measure it and results.
on whether they say yes,
I: Does that tangibly S: I can’t imagine how you simply measure it on I: Expectations intro-
mean you write every people do it; it would be “Did I do it” and you keep duces fear into the
day toward a goal? really hard for me. But it’s your score in a great pro- equation.
S: I do. It’s real writing,
whatever I’m working on “ ThE AnTIDOTE FOR ME IS A RELEnTLESS,
at the time. I just finished
a wonderful book by a PROFESSIOnAL DISCIPLInE - COnTInuInG
man named nick Murray,
called The Game of num-
TO MAKE IT hAPPEn,TO PuSh MYSELF In
bers. Murray’s profession ThE FACE OF ADvERSITY AnD DEMYSTIFY
is coaching financial advi-
sors. he sent me the book
ThE FEAR AS MuCh AS POSSIBLE. ”
because he said The War
of Art inspired him to
write it. In that business a classic case of resistance fessional way. From the S: It’s like what a coach
apparently, if you’re a fi- to exposure and nick point of view of a writer would say to you if you
nancial advisor and you’re has a wonderful way of it’s “I’m going to sit down were trying to win the
trying to get clients, you getting people to have a here today and I’m go- hundred-yard dash, “You
have to cold call people positive attitude toward ing to work for four hours just gotta get out there
for sales, which is com- it. What he says is, you and I don’t care what and run each day. Go to
pletely terrifying and the have to say to yourself happens. I don’t care how the gym, run, do what
Resistance comes up a twenty times a day, “I’m good it is or bad it is. I’m you have to do, don’t
lot. I could never cold call going to cold call or cold going do that today and worry about the outcome.
anyone. approach somebody” tomorrow and the next If you do, then you’ll
email sign up

11. 11
freeze. You’ll be afraid of
failure.” If you just con-
Where did that come
from?”
stronger than the pain of
“ YOu CAn
simply doing it. It’s defi-
centrate on the act itself, nitely true in my experi- WRITE A
on the process, that is a
great professional way to
I: I wish I could say that
right now! I’ve been
ence. I was just watching
a tribute to director Mike ChARACTER
demystify fear. struggling with a piece
and putting it off, and
nichols last night, and I
realized that when you’re
ThAT’S MORE
I: I’ve tried that and realizing that not do- an actor doing a difficult InTELLIGEnT
I find it teaches me
about what I can and
ing it is more annoying
than just getting on
scene when you have
to cry or get emotional, ThAn YOu
can’t do and where my with it. that’s absolutely terrify-
ing. Actors like Dustin
ARE. SO WhAT
WE ThInK ARE
limits are.
S: I know exactly what hoffman and Meryl
S: I remember one of the
first things I learned writ-
you mean - when the
pain of not doing it is
Streep kept saying “We
love you” to Mike because
OuR LIMITS
ing my first book, The as a director he gave ARE REALLY
Legend of Bagger vance,
was that you can write
them a safe space where
they could let it all hang An ILLuSIOn
a character that’s more
intelligent than you are.
out even with the cam-
era rolling and everyone
BECAuSE
So what we think are our looking at them. Some- ThE PLACE
limits are really an illu-
sion because the place
how, he made them feel
that nobody was going to
WE’RE COM-
we’re coming from is judge them and that they InG FROM
much deeper than that.
Once we let it out, it can
could really go for it.
IS MuCh
really surprise us. You
write something and
I think that we need to
do that for ourselves. We
DEEPER ThAn
think, “Wow, did I do that? need to become our own ThAT. ”
email sign up

12. 12
Mike nichols and give
ourselves a safe space to
“ WE JuST it. It’s easy to say but hard
to do.
I: Do you do that with
yourself, have discipline
just try and let it rip. hAvE TO I: It’s like the story of
everyday?
I: Usually our censor PLuG OuR Odysseus, who, when S: I do, I try to make it a
habit. I make it a job and
he heard the sirens on
EARS TO IT
is the one calling the
shots. the ship, told his crew to just make sure I always
S: Exactly. That son of a hOWEvER strap him down to make
it through that part of the
get in there and do it.
Each day that accrues
bitch.
WE CAn DO voyage without succumb-
ing to the sirens or their
helps. It never gets any
easier, but it does help! If
I: We need to find a way
to vanquish it before
AnD KEEP song. We have to be that
ruthless with ourselves.
I miss a day, I give myself
a break, and I’ll take even
we get pulled into his GOInG weeks off at a time some-
energy.
FORWARD, S: he also told his sailors
who were rowing past
times. But if I can get a
rhythm where I’m going
S: We’re talking about it
right now. If I was there
KEEP the sirens to stopper their
ears with wax so they
five or six days a week,
that’s really good. Today
with you right now, I’d do
what Colette’s original
MOvInG couldn’t hear their song.
Otherwise, they would
is Sunday and I’ll be work-
ing a bit today too, just to
manager/agent/boy- ThOSE have crashed into the keep the rhythm going.
friend did to her - lock
her in her room and not OARS. ” rocks. We have to do that
too. That’s the Resistance I: I feel much better if
let her come out until she song, the fear that’s out I’m consistent, even if
produced three pages of there, we just have to that means doing some
writing. he wouldn’t even S: But that’s what it takes plug our ears to it how- things over the week-
feed her until she wrote. sometimes. We have to ever we can do and keep end.
do it to ourselves. Let’s going forward, keep mov-
I: That is hardcore. just get in a room and do ing those oars. S: I’m with you. I think
email sign up

13. 13
weekends can be a good guy, and I think anyone real problem. That’s why I can forgive and under-
time to get stuff done. who’s driven to create, marriages break up. That’s stand someone who I’m
that’s just the name of the why people have a hard with who’s also doing
I: What if your disci- game. If you’re married time. Maybe the best type that, like “Go for it, I’m
pline or the way you to Kobe Bryant, you have of marriage is two people glad to see it.” But that’s
work doesn’t jive with
your surrounding envi-
ronment, or the people
in it? You have a section “ IF YOu’RE MARRIED TO KOBE BRYAnT,
in The War of Art about
this - that just because
YOu hAvE TO KnOW ThAT hE’S GOInG
you seem crazy in your
environment, doesn’t
TO BE ShOOTInG BASKETS, hE’S
mean you are. GOInG TO BE TRAInInG, hE’S GOInG
S: It’s really true, Ishita, TO BE PRACTICInG. IF YOu MARRY hIM,
particularly in relation-
ships. That’s where it
YOu’vE GOT TO ACCEPT IT OR IT CAn BE
shows up because people
do think you’re crazy
A REAL PROBLEM. ”
when you’re working
hard. I tried recently in
fact, to change the way to know that he’s going who are equally crazy not too common, I think.
I work to accommodate to be shooting baskets, and can understand each I guess some people can
another person and it he’s going to be training, other. produce and still lead
doesn’t work for me at and he’s going to be prac- semi-normal lives, but
all. I can adjust slightly ticing. If you marry him, From my point of view, just from a personal view,
but I just have to accept that’s him and you’ve got since I’m so steeped in my I don’t think I’m one of
that I’m kind of a crazy to accept it or it can be a particular way of living, them.
email sign up

14. 14
I: What’s the first thing after he comes back from like entering a cold swim- traction at some point.
you do if you sit down the gym (the gym is a ming pool, and it gets At some point, maybe an
to write and the Resis- great example because words on a page - what hour or 45 minutes into it,
tance rears its head? almost everyone feels you’re looking for is just I’ll say, “OK, now it’s really
resistance to it), he’s got to get into the flow a bit time to start,” and I’ll just
S: Firstly, just sitting down some momentum. for the blank pages to plunge into it. For me,
is a big help. You’ve al- it’s a very workmanlike,
ready got something go- lunch-pail process. Just
ing.
“ AnYWAY YOu CAn ChEAT keep going forward, and
hopefully at some point a
Secondly, I’ve been writ- IS GOOD. YOu’RE JuST little magic will kick in. If
ing a screenplay with a
friend, Randy Wallace, TRYInG TO FAKE YOuRSELF you can get a flow going,
ride that for all it’s worth.
who wrote Braveheart.
he has this method called
OuT, GET OuT OF YOuR For me, it’s like I’m look-
“little successes” where as hEAD AnD InTO WhAT ing for my real voice.
soon as he gets up in the
morning, even before he YOu’RE DOInG, AnD hOPE And in order to get to
that voice I have to go
starts to write, he tries to
do a few little things in-
YOu’LL GET TRACTIOn AT through a few layers of
bullshit and censorship
cluding going to the gym SOME POInT. ” and a lot of chatter chat-
or even taking a shower. ter chatter, but at some
These small things count point everything quiets
as a little success and he Another thing I do when come. Anyway you can down. That’s the place I’m
tries to get some momen- I start writing is to start cheat is good. You’re just trying to get to.
tum going in terms of with an easy task, like trying to fake yourself
doing things he doesn’t research or noting things out, get out of your head I: What do you do when
necessarily want to do. So down from pages I’ve and into what you’re do- you’re stuck, either
by the time he sits down dog-eared in books. It’s ing, and hope you’ll get with writing or in life?
email sign up

15. 15
S: That’s a tough one. To what you’re trying to do; under me. For a few years, no doubt about that, and
be perfectly candid I just otherwise, you’re going it was so bad that when if it were easy everybody
had that experience re- to die. That’s it. For me, in I think about it now, I’m would do it. I’m not sure
cently, when I fell badly my twenties, when I ran not sure I could face it that’s a real answer, Ishita.
ill. The only thing I can say away from the first book again. So, the pain of that
is that you have no choice I wrote, I had such a hard is a lot worse than the I: That’s exactly what I
but to just keep going time in real life when the pain of keeping going. hoped for.
forward. Just keep doing bottom dropped out from But it is very hard, there’s
STEVE
steven Pressfield is an American novelist and author of
screenplays, primarily of military historical fiction such as
Gates of Fire and The Tides of War. he authored The Legend
of Bagger vance which became a popular feature film
and most recently wrote what’s been called the ultimate
creator’s handbook, The war of art. The War of Art
introduces Resistance, a powerful roadblock to creativity,
and helps us identify a plan to conquer it in our lives.
email sign up

16. sHare
Share this with my friends.
sign up
Got this from a friend? Sign up for free here.

17. 17
“ The only time we ever know what’s
really going on is when the rug’s
been pulled out and we can’t find
anywhere to land... ”
REalITY gaVE
OUT ON mE
PEMA ChODROn
When things fall apart and we’re on the verge of we
know not what, the test for each of us is to stay on
that brink and not concretize. The spiritual journey is
not about heaven and finally getting to a place that’s
really swell. In fact, that way of looking at things is
what keeps us miserable. Thinking that we can find
email sign up

18. 18
some lasting pleasure kind of testing and also a
and avoid pain is a hope- kind of healing. We think
less cycle that goes round that the point is to pass
and round endlessly, and the test or to overcome
causes us to suffer great- the problem, but the
ly. The very first noble truth is that things don’t
truth the Buddha points really get solved. They
out is that suffering is come together and they
inevitable for human be- fall apart. Then they come
ings as long as we believe together again and fall
that things last—that apart again. It’s just like
they can be counted on that. The healing comes
to satisfy our hunger for from letting there be
security. From this point room for all of this to hap-
of view, the only time pen: room for grief, for
we ever know what’s re- relief, for misery, for joy.
ally going on is when the
rug’s been pulled out and When we think that
we can’t find anywhere something’s going to
to land. We use these
situations either to wake
“ WE TRY TO DO WhAT bring us pleasure, we
don’t know what’s really
ourselves up or to put WE ThInK IS GOInG going to happen. When
ourselves to sleep. Right
now—in the very instant TO hELP. WE nEvER we think something is go-
ing to give us misery, we
of groundlessness—is the
seed of discovering our
KnOW IF WE’RE don’t know. Letting there
be room for not know-
goodness. GOInG TO FALL FLAT ing is the most important
thing of all. We try to do
Things falling apart is a OR SIT uP TALL. ” what we think is going to
email sign up

19. 19
help. But we don’t know.
We never know if we’re “ I REMEM-
going to fall flat or sit up
tall. When there’s a big
BER SO vIv-
disappointment, we don’t
know if that’s the end of
IDLY A DAY
the story. It may just be In EARLY
the beginning of a great
adventure. SPRInG
I read somewhere about a
WhEn MY
family who had only one
son. They were very poor.
WhOLE
This son was extremely REALITY
precious to them, and
the only thing that mat- GAvE OuT
tered to his family was
that he bring them some
On ME. ”
financial support and
prestige. Then he was hind and take care of his
thrown from a horse and family.
crippled. It seemed like
the end of their lives. Two Life is like that. We don’t
weeks after that, the army know anything. We call
came into the village and something bad; we call it
took away all the healthy, good. But really we just
strong men to fight in the don’t know.
war, and this young man
was allowed to stay be- I remember so vividly a
email sign up

20. 20
The truth is that he saved
my life. When that mar-
riage fell apart, I tried
hard—very, very hard—
to go back to some kind
of comfort, some kind
of security, some kind
of familiar resting place.
Fortunately for me, I
could never pull it off.
Instinctively I know that
annihilation of my old de-
pendent, clinging self was
the only way to go.
Life is a good teacher and
day in early spring when drinking a cup of tea. I was no time, no thought, a good friend. Things are
my whole reality gave out head the car drive up and there was nothing—just always in transition, if
on me. Although it was the door bang shut. Then the light and a profound, we could only realize it.
before I had heard any he walked around the limitless stillness. Then I nothing ever sums itself
Buddhist teaching, it was corner, and without warn- regrouped and picked up up in the way that we
what some would call a ing he told me that he a stone and threw it at like to dream about. The
genuine spiritual experi- was having an affair and him. off-center, in-between
ence. It happened when he wanted a divorce. state is an ideal situation,
my husband told me he I remember the sky and When anyone asks me a situation in which we
was having an affair. We how huge it was. I re- how I got involved in don’t get caught and we
lived in northern new member the sound of the Buddhism, I always say can open our hearts and
Mexico. I was standing in river and the steam rising it was because I was so minds beyond limit. It’s a
front of our adobe house up from my tea. There angry with my husband. very tender, nonaggres-
email sign up

21. 21
sive, open-ended state of of chaos, learning not to into a sense of relief, a this and ask ourselves,
affairs. panic—this is the spiritual sense of inspiration. “Am I going to add to the
path. Getting the knack aggression in the world?”
To stay with that shaki- of catching ourselves, of Everyday we could think Every day, at the mo-
ness—to stay with a gently and compassion- about the aggression in ment when things get to
broken heart, with a ately catching ourselves the world, in new York, the edge, we can just ask
rumbling stomach, with is that path of the war- Los Angeles, halifax, Tai- ourselves, “Am I going to
the feeling of hopeless- rior. We catch ourselves wan, Beirut, Kuwait, So- practice peace, or am I
ness and wanting to get one zillion times as once malia, Iraq, everywhere. going to war?”
revenge—that is the again, whether we like All over the world, every-
path of true awakening. it or not, we harden into body always strikes out at Excerpt from “When Things
Sticking with that uncer- resentment, bitterness, the enemy, and the pain Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron,
tainty, getting the knack righteous indignation— escalates forever. Every published in 2000 by Shamb-
of relaxing in the midst harden in any way, even day we could reflect on hala.
PEma
Pema chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and
leading teacher on meditation and its application
to everyday life. She is widely known for her
charming and down-to-earth interpretation of
Tibetan Buddhism and is the author of no Time
to Lose, Getting unstuck, when Things fall
apart, Start Where You Are, The Places That Scare
You, and The Wisdom of no Escape.
email sign up

22. 22
“ Art is an incredibly valuable thing,
not as an investment but as
something that enriches life in ways
you can understand right away. ”
THE aRT OF
SUCCESS
JEn BEKMAn
THE NEw mE
Opening the gallery was a pretty spontaneous action
for me. It was amazing to discover that I was good at
something new in my early thirties, and I really had
email sign up

23. 23
nothing to lose. I had could redirect myself and
been working in the in- do something new. I went
teractive business for a through a period of feel-
long time and when the ing totally washed up in
bubble burst in 2002, I the corporate world, and
felt a little like I’d gone to have an opportunity
through the zenith of my to reinvent myself really
career; that because I was changed my life. It gave
so focused on the future me a detachment that
I wasn’t enjoying where I I’d never had before and
was, which was actually I felt like I could be who
very abstract -working at I really was. My identity
netscape and Disney put- wasn’t so tied up with
ting together presenta- what I was doing, but in
tions for things that never my ability to do things
ended up happening. - to be more capable of
changing.
So, opening the gallery
was more of an obligation Initially, it was just sheer
for me to just go for it be- stubbornness - I felt
cause there weren’t dire like this was how things
consequences if I didn’t should be and there
succeed. I didn’t have a was a direct impact to
lot of dependencies, kids be made on people by
or a partner who would revealing art in this way.
be impacted, and that But it was a new life that
opened me up to taking a even my parents disap-
lot more risks. And even if proved of initially in some
I didn’t succeed, I felt like I ways, and I knew that if I
email sign up

24. 24
gave up on the gallery I’d much more fearless. I re-
never hear the end of it alized that I still had a lot
from them! even though I was living
off of my credit cards, and
a CHaNgE IN I was incredibly grateful
TRaJECTORY during that time and even
now. I had incredible
Since then, I’ve had a friends helping me, and
whole different trajec- I’m not very spiritual, but
tory, a difficult path, but it feels like a privilege to
a privileged one. Initially, be able to give my energy
I didn’t have any fund- to what I think of as a
ing or resources, and I greater good. For me that
learned a lot running good centers around the
the gallery very leanly. experience of support-
Financially it has always ing artists. So, I began to
been a bit difficult and at look, not at how much
one point I was behind a money I was spending,
few months on the rent but what was I spending
at the gallery. When I it on- something valuable
had almost nothing at all or something fruitless? In
and was living off credit my life, art is an incredibly
cards, I had to pare down valuable thing, not as an
my needs to, “Do I have investment but as some-
a roof over my head? Am thing that enriches life in
I going to eat tonight?” I ways you can understand
began looking at it like a right away, perhaps also
privilege in the context of in ways you can’t under-
my frugality and became stand at all until you ac-
email sign up

25. 25
mitting that I’m scared
and uncertain, people
realize that their own ap-
prehensions are normal.
It helps people feel more
confident making deci-
sions about liking and
rejecting art, which is
important because taste
is informed more strongly
by rejecting things than
it is by accepting them.
I feel like I’m constantly
scared or hesitant and
tually have it in your life. I’d have more opportuni- addressed people’s fears just push myself forward.
It’s something that can ties to focus on things on a daily basis. They I’m not afraid to admit
ground you with yourself that I was good at and would perceive me as that I’m not always sure,
and with the world. which excited me, not on being totally confident, and to have an audience
bookkeeping. So I saw but I’m really not. I un- who I can be cordial and
Another element was that there was room to grow, derstand why someone direct about it with is re-
as an entrepreneur you which kept me moving doesn’t want to make ally great for me. When I
need cashflow, which I forward. a $4,000 mistake with first opened, I naturally
didn’t have. So in the be- a piece of art and more gravitated toward pho-
ginning I was forced to do than that, people bring tography because paint-
things for years and years SOlIdaRITY IN a lot of baggage when ing really intimidated me.
that I wasn’t good at, and UNCERTaINTY they go to a gallery or a I was more scared of mak-
I think I realized that as museum, in terms of what ing mistakes in that realm
the business grew and With the gallery, I had to they should or shouldn’t because I’m intimidated
became more successful create a dialogue where I know. In me directly ad- when I look at a painting
email sign up

26. 26
there were a lot of people that once they tried it at
who understood the gal- a lower price, they’d want
lery system as the only the good stuff.
way it could be done.
It wasn’t questioned. People need something
When I told people that good in their lives right
I wanted to sell really now, so it’s nice to be able
great quality prints at a to offer that to them for
reasonable price, people $20. I really do want to
said, “You can’t sell a print transform people’s rela-
for $20, there’s just no tionships with art. A lot of
way.” The artists thought artists that we’ve worked
I was crazy. The printers with had never earned
thought I was crazy. no- money from their art be-
body believed it would fore 20x200. The first time
work. But it was impor- we had a party for it I had
tant enough to me to both artists and collectors
make it work, and now it’s tell me that it changed
growing and really reso- their lives, and there’s
and realize that I don’t THE 20x200 nating with people. I real- nothing more gratifying
know art history. That STORY ized that people didn’t than that. I think I have a
fear was much more pres- buy things in galleries be- different playbook than
ent with painting than it I don’t accept things the cause they didn’t under- some other people, be-
was with photography way they are and I’m al- stand the value of it. So I cause at one point when
because to me, photog- ways trying to root out thought that giving peo- I was struggling finan-
raphy is such a quintes- assumptions I’m making. ple even once experience cially a good friend of
sentially contemporary One of my biggest frus- of art and pricing low mine said, “You’re going
medium that we all have trations in dealing with would be the gateway to have to come up with
fluency with it. art is that when I started, drug into the art world - some different criteria
email sign up

27. 27
“ OnE OF MY fast, beyond money, in
order to make it through
artist” is about struggling.
I’ve seen the way that be-
tive feedback I get about
the gallery, it’s the criti-
BIGGEST this,” and he told me that
I successfully opened
ing successful can chal-
lenge an artist who’s been
cism that lands the most
sorely, that sticks with
FRuSTRA- the gallery and had struggling. I’ve always me. I went through a lot
TIOnS In done things that no one
else had done, with a
believed in marketing be-
cause I feel it’s a way that
of struggle that helped
me figure out my values
DEALInG level of risk pretty incon-
ceivable to most people,
you reach people with
your art. You want to mar-
and what mattered to me,
and what success meant
WITh ART IS and that meant a lot to
me.
ket yourself, but you don’t
want to come across as so
to me, and that’s ulti-
mately what kept me go-
ThAT WhEn slick that people question ing. I spoke to someone
I START- lIVE wITH
aRT, IT’S
your authenticity. That’s
why I’m always talking
new in our office just the
other day, and anyone
ED, ThERE gOOd FOR
about how something
makes me feel. I’m inter-
new who starts working
with us becomes quickly
WERE A LOT YOU ested in how living with a overwhelmed with every-
OF PEOPLE Since I’ve opened the
piece of art can transform
your relationship with
thing there is to do, which
in a large part is my fault
WhO un- gallery my motto is “Live
with art, it’s good for
other artists, and how it
makes going to the muse-
because I have so many
ideas which seem smart
DERSTOOD you.” It’s a deep part of um or gallery a different at the time but which are
ThE GALLERY me. I’m concerned about
that perception of my
experience. In this way,
the management of the
hard to execute. So I said
to her, “You know, the
SYSTEM AS sincerity because be-
ing successful in the art
gallery itself becomes an
art form instead of a slick
one thing you have to re-
member is that it’s going
ThE OnLY business has a stigma
of impropriety about it.
business. to be really easy to end
every day worrying about
WAY. ” Part of being a “starving Even with all the posi- what you didn’t get done.
email sign up

28. 28
But unless you make a right now. So despite the think about, and you can’t I look back on the times
concerted effort to reflect struggles it’s been a much always be right. But this that I’ve done that and I
upon what you did get happier road and I’m a goes back to the central can’t believe I’ve had the
done, there’s absolutely happier person doing question of fear, I ask my- nerve to do it! But I also
no need to feel like a fail- what I believe in. There self what’s the worst that think about all the times
ure.” That’s a perspective are so many mistakes I’ve could happen? Because I’ve been rejected, and
that was a direct result of made, some I’ll probably why shouldn’t you ask I just don’t really even
my friends challenging make today, and you re- someone for something think about it anymore
me, that the only concept ally can’t avoid that. In or why shouldn’t you do because it’s all about
of success is if you have life there are a million something? What’s the whatever keeps you mov-
money in your pocket decisions and things to worst that could happen? ing.
JEN
Jen Bekman is the owner of Jen Bekman Gallery, exhibiting the
work of emerging artists in photography and mixed media. Jen
Bekman Projects, Inc. evolved from the gallery and is a unique
organization encompassing an array of projects including 20 x 200,
which sells quality prints and photos at affordable prices. She is the
founder of Hey, Hot shot!, an international photo competition, and
has been featured in The new York Times, harper’s, Art in America,
Foam, Businessweek, Dwell, and Le Monde.
email sign up

29. 29
“ Tomorrow morning when you
wake up, unless you’re living under
some horrible circumstances,
choose bliss. ”
THE
dETERmINEd
STREak
An InTERvIEW WITh
LYnDA RESnICK
I: You’ve had the entrepreneur streak since you
were a teenager. Do you think your personality
made you a good fit for business and is that what
you always wanted to do?
email sign up

30. 30
L: I started embracing
my natural skills at a very
young age, because I was
trained in art and accept-
ed into art school, but
couldn’t go because my
father didn’t want to send
me - he thought I never
committed to anything! I
went to community col-
lege for a year but was
bored out of my mind so
decided to quit and go to
work developing ads for
little stores, which is how
I started in the advertis-
ing world. I took some
classes at the newspaper
to learn how to type, to
size a photograph and
how to do all of these
old-fashioned things that
you don’t have to do any- Philadelphia that taught really, I don’t think I had to further that fine arts
more, but I already had creative writing and I the burning desire to career. Instead I funneled
the ability to illustrate had my studio there. I do so in the first place. my creative thought and
and to write. had talents, but I knew I If I did, I know I would spirit and my talent into
wasn’t going to become have found a way to do commercial art. I taught
Then I went to a very pro- a fine artist through art it - waitressed, worked myself and don’t feel that
gressive public school in school training because, nights, whatever I could I suffered from the lack of
email sign up

31. 31
at the agency, with no I: Since you just men-
employees. I had two tioned it, did you de-
children in rapid succes- velop boundaries as
sion and by the time I was a entrepreneur while
22, I was done having my raising your family? I’ve
kids. I was working out of heard two viewpoints:
my house and then hired One says that balance
a full-time secretary and is something an en-
some art directors that trepreneur shouldn’t
would come and go on a even consider, while the
freelance basis, but I was other says that main-
doing it all from inside my taining clear “self-time”
own home. My kids would boundaries are vital.
be outside knocking on
the door and finally my L: Well, it depends on
an education because I learned what the pitfalls doctor told me to get out where you are in your life
educated myself through- were - that’s when I start- of my house to continue cycle. When you make
out my entire life - it’s all ed to fear things. my work. he said, “Get the choice to raise your
about lifelong learning the hell out of there. It’s family and you have some
and self-teaching. I: You raised your family worse for you to be home energy to do it, you really
Where did I get the at the exact same time but not home than it is have no ability to balance
nerve to do such a thing you launched your ca- for you to be away and your life. It’s ridiculous
though, I have no idea. reer in advertising. Can then come home at a rea- to think you can. I didn’t,
I’ve asked myself the you describe how you sonable hour and be with and I had to raise two
same question so many started your agency the children.” So I moved children, one of whom
times. I don’t think it ever and balanced raising to a small office and my had special needs. It was
crossed my mind that I your children? business grew until I had exhausting, and to be
might not be success- thirteen employees in my honest, my first marriage
ful until I got older and I L: Initially, I was alone early twenties. sort of fell apart. Being a
email sign up

32. 32
single mother to a child we are and as close our
with challenges, with thir- relationship is, that his
teen employees and a ton ego would have allowed
of responsibility - it was me to have a business
very tough. I often feel separate from him. It
that I missed a lot with worked out well because
my children and that’s I was very interested in
why I bug my grandchil- doing the things that he
dren now until they push wanted to do and so we
me away. I feel sorry that built our little empire to-
I didn’t get to do a lot of gether. But that’s not ac-
mom stuff with my chil- tionable by most people,
dren because I worked so so I understand how hard
hard when I was young. it can really be.
What I did forsake entirely
was a social life, which is One thing I always took
very different now, but time for was exercise and
until I reached my fifties I eating properly. I realized
just didn’t have time. We that if I perished, who
were building businesses was going to hold up the
and traveling, and any house of cards that was
spare moment we had we my life? So healthy living
spent with the children. and eating and exercise
now, Stewart and I have and stress management
been married 37 years, is imperative, and I found
and I think the secret to the time for those things.
that success is working Even if there was a child
together because I don’t crawling all over me as
think, even as in love as I was doing yoga poses,
email sign up

33. 33
I found time to do it be- us. It sounds funny to
cause you’re a resource even say that now, but
for your family; if you back then it was such a
start to fall apart, you hard and fearful time. In
can’t help them. the ‘80s and ‘90s there
was a recession, which
I: Was there a particular we saw coming, and even
time in your life where though I changed busi-
you felt more pressure ness models, we still had
than any other time? to fight for everything
we had. It was very hard.
L: I don’t live with fear, Even though Stewart and
but I have fearful mo- I were working together,
ments, just like anybody it wasn’t all singing and
does. I try to embrace dancing. We fought con-
it, but I think my forties stantly about work and
were more stressful than business issues, and it
any other time in my life was particularly hard for
because I was separated me to handle. I think for-
from my family. I was liv- ties are typically hard for
ing with Stewart in Phila- men and women, quite
delphia, my children had frankly. By the time I
just gone away to college reached my fifties I was a
and my mother and fa- lot happier.
ther were back in Los An-
geles. We were isolated, I: It’s pretty brave to
running a big business work with the man
that in the beginning you’re married to, given
seemed like a stretch for the ups and downs of
email sign up

34. 34
not only a business, but going out to lunch with portant to success. Fail-
a marriage as well. girlfriends, like “Oh my ure is absolutely critical
God, how can I waste that because you don’t really
L: It was courageous, much time?” Even to this learn through your suc-
but it was necessary for day, every meeting we cesses; When things go
have is during lunch. I’ve brilliantly, you’re never
“ I’vE nEvER never been able to break
my stride in the middle
really quite sure why. But
when you fail, I assure
BEEn ABLE of my day to go out to
lunch because I never
you, you know why and
that’s where the lessons
TO BREAK wanted to go back to
work. I didn’t even have
come from, and those
lessons are important to
MY STRIDE windows in my office so growth. I’ve been given
In ThE that I wouldn’t become
too distracted. It was that
all these accolades for
the ventures I’ve created,
MIDDLE OF level of intensity and mo-
mentum.
but let me tell you some-
thing: there were a lot of
but a fad nonetheless. We
made a lot of money, had
MY DAY TO I: Talk about the value
things that happened at
the same time that made
2500 employees and 400
different artists around
GO OuT TO of the risks you’ve tak- those successes happen. the world working with
LunCh. ” en in your journey. The history of the world
is full of stories of failures.
us, and it was exciting,
but it wasn’t sustainable
L: If you are unwilling And some of the things because people stopped
me. There was no way to take risks in life, you that I thought were suc- collecting. When the
I couldn’t work, and I will not succeed and you cesses, like the Franklin Internet became power-
didn’t even understand will not realize your full Mint, were not really ful in the late nineties,
what it meant not to. I’d potential. You may be good business models at people had a variety of
break out in a cold sweat happy or safe, but both all. The Franklin Mint was other activities to capture
just thinking about even risk and failure are im- a fad, a twenty-year fad, their attention. By 1999
email sign up

35. 35
it was all over, and the with. But even though it L: You know, this very is- doors at the beginning of
failure was not realizing looked like a huge suc- sue is the core of what’s the Long Depression of
that it wasn’t a sustain- cess, the business slowly wrong with our society. the 1800’s. And IBM was
able business. My own, faded away. It’s only now When growth became the started decades later. uPS
personal failure was that that I realize you owe it to king on Wall Street and started during the panic
we had 2500 employees, your employees to create you were only as good as of 1907. hewlett Pack-
which ultimately went a sustainable business. your quarterly earnings, ard started in the Great
down to about 15 people people stopped running Depression and Allstate
or so. I left at age 50, a full I: Do you ever feel their businesses for the Insurance, in 1931, during
ten years before we sold there’s an endless long term and eventu- the height of the Depres-
the business, but I never quest for growth at the ally the human psyche sion. The Super 8 hotel
looked back because I expense of other val- on Wall Street became a chains started during the
had to come home fi- ues? As though inher- disaster. But remember, oil crisis of the seventies.
nally; I had a grandchild ent in growth is also also, that the Coors Brew- So this is a time for great
and family I wanted to be insatiability? ing Company opened its innovation, when young
email sign up

36. 36
people who can’t find a work after that, that fear “I used it. That’s what I: Do you think that
job will become entrepre- has always stayed with you have to do. Learn to the way you handle
neurs because they’re not me. use the fear to give you fear, and perhaps the
burdened with debt or a power.” So I would study fears themselves, have
ton of employees. There Then, when I started my speeches six ways changed over time?
is opportunity amidst the speaking publicly speak- till Sunday. I would write
madness. ing thirty years ago as L: Yes. My goals have
the face of our company, changed because I now
I: What has been one Teleflora, I had to travel “ I hAD TO spend this part of my life
of the most frightening
things you’ve done in
around the world with
this tremendous fear of
TRAvEL giving back, and I think
we could all do a little
business or in life? going on stage. It was so AROunD more of that. But I’m not
ThE WORLD
bad that for many years plagued by fear every
L: What comes to mind is I couldn’t even go into a day. When you get to your
when I was on television
as a child and I forgot my
theatre and watch a play
because I would actually
WITh ThIS sixties, it’s like “Bring it
on” you know? Been there
lines. As a kid I was on Tv get sick.To go into a simi- TREMEn- done that. What are you
two days a week from the
age of four to nine. When
lar setting again gave me
a type of posttraumatic DOuS FEAR going to do to me at this
point? If you don’t get
I was six, I forgot my lines
and started crying on
stress syndrome. Then
one day a friend, Rod
OF GOInG over it by my age, you’ll
have a very sad old age.
Tv. I worked in front of a Steiner, told me, “I threw On STAGE. ” I have a strong spiritual-
live studio audience and up every night before I ity and a lot of faith and I
didn’t realize how huge did ‘Picnic’ because I was them myself so I always pray every day of my life.
the stage was because so terrified.” Can you be- knew every word. I was I pray to be more open,
I was so small, but the lieve that? Famous actor, prepared. I still feel the to give back for the good
environment was daunt- Academy awards, every- butterflies to this day, but things that have hap-
ing to me as a child. Even thing. I asked, “What did they’re more welcome pened in my life. I don’t
though I continued to you do with it?” he said, now. know how people handle
email sign up

37. 37
things without faith. not who’ll read this magazine choice. And really, the im-
religion necessarily, but are fortunate, and they portant thing is not what
I think faith is important. may have hardships in happens to us, but how
Tomorrow morning when their lives because no life we end up dealing with
you wake up, unless is immune from the ups the things that come our
you’re living under some and downs, but when way.
horrible circumstances, you wake up tomorrow,
choose bliss. The people choose bliss. We have the
lYNda
lynda resnick is an American entrepreneur and businesswoman who
currently owns the POM Wonderful and fiJi water brands, the Teleflora
floral wire service company, large industrial citrus and nut farms, and
other businesses. Lynda began her career at the age of nineteen, when
she founded a full-service advertising agency. Successfully running this
business so early in her career enabled her to gain invaluable and practical
marketing experience, which, coupled with her entrepreneurial instincts,
has been the hallmark of her 40-year career. She is the author of rubies in
the orchard: The Pom Queen’s secrets to Just about anything.
email sign up

38. “ I have learned over the years that
when one’s mind is made up, this
diminishes fear; knowing what must
be done does away with fear.”
Rosa Parks