Every founder I’ve ever backed has faced it — though few could name it.
It’s the quiet drag that slows progress, kills momentum, and convinces you to postpone the hard thing until tomorrow.
Steven Pressfield called it “The Resistance.”
And if you’re building a company, it’s your most dangerous competitor. I have seen it in every one of the over 300 Pre-Seed companies I have invested in.
What “The Resistance” Really Is
In The War of Art, Pressfield defines The Resistance as the invisible, internal force that keeps us from doing our most important work.
“Resistance is insidious. It will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work.”
It’s not market conditions, investor feedback, or your team.
It’s the voice in your head whispering, “You’re not ready yet.”
It’s the procrastination disguised as planning.
It’s fear wearing the mask of “strategy.”
And here’s the paradox:
The stronger the Resistance, the more vital the work.
The things you most avoid — launching, pitching, confronting, leading — are almost always the things that matter most.
How Founders Experience The Resistance
Startups are fertile ground for Resistance. The uncertainty, constant pivots, and psychological weight of leading a mission create perfect conditions for it to thrive.
Here are five of the most common ways I’ve seen founders fall prey to it — and how professionals push through.
1. 🚀 The Product Perfection Trap
The Resistance says:
“Just one more iteration. The UX isn’t quite right.”
Founders spend months perfecting instead of shipping. The fear of rejection hides behind “quality control.”
The Professional Response:
Launch anyway.
Perfection is procrastination in a tuxedo. Feedback is the only path to excellence.
Great founders ship, learn, and iterate in public.
2. 💰 The Fundraising Rabbit Hole
The Resistance says:
“You just need one more metric… one more investor warm-up… one more deck revision.”
Endless polishing replaces outreach. It feels productive but accomplishes nothing.
The Professional Response:
Ask early. Pitch imperfectly.
Momentum beats polish. Investors fund motion, not hypotheticals.
3. 💬 Avoiding the Hard Conversation
The Resistance says:
“Let’s wait until next week to address that cofounder issue or team problem.”
Avoidance festers. Culture erodes quietly.
The Professional Response:
Rip off the Band-Aid.
Courage is a leadership KPI. Difficult conversations done early protect your integrity and your team’s trust.
4. 💡 The New Idea Distraction
The Resistance says:
“This new idea is better. Let’s pivot.”
Novelty becomes a hiding place. You never finish; you just restart.
The Professional Response:
Stay the course.
The hardest work is finishing the thing that matters.
True founders can tell the difference between boredom and breakthrough.
5. 🧠 Identity Resistance
The Resistance says:
“You’re not a ‘real’ CEO yet. Real leaders have experience, MBAs, or millions raised.”
So you hesitate, defer decisions, and shrink from ownership.
The Professional Response:
Act like the CEO you want to become.
Identity follows behavior, not the other way around.
You grow into the role by making decisions, not by waiting to feel qualified.
Turning Pro
Pressfield’s antidote is brutally simple:
Professionals show up. Every day.
“The amateur waits for inspiration; the professional knows it will come only after she starts.”
Founders who win don’t wait to feel ready. They act through fear, uncertainty, and doubt — consistently.
That’s what separates the builders from the dreamers.
Final Thought
If you feel Resistance today — to sending that investor update, firing that underperformer, or launching the imperfect product — good.
It means you’re pushing into territory that matters.
Your job isn’t to eliminate Resistance.
Your job is to recognize it, respect it, and move through it anyway.
That’s what turning pro looks like — in startups and in life.
