Resistance

Leander, Texas

5:13 a.m.

Dear Leah, Jack & Adam-

Random Thoughts Of A Former Dishwasher is not a 2026 creation.

The idea of writing and sharing these thoughts has held a place in my mind for years. I acquired the domain name formerdishwasher.com years ago.

I hired designers. I spent money. I walked away.

Then, months or years later, the idea would come knocking again.

I finally realized I wasn’t dealing with a lack of time, money, or technical knowledge. I was dealing with Resistance. It was Resistance talking.

Learn to recognize its voice

Steven Pressfield writes that Resistance opposes meaningful work. I believe he’s right. Looking back, the very fact that I kept returning to this idea may have been evidence that it mattered.

The things that matter most in my life have usually arrived on the other side of discomfort, uncertainty, and fear.

Formerdishwasher.com lived inside me for years before I finally had the courage to begin.

Resistance loves the phrase “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Resistance doesn’t tell you, “You’re never going to write.” That would spark a fight. Instead, it whispers, “This is a great idea. You should definitely do it… just not today. You’re too busy today.” The years of paying for a blank site show exactly how much money and time I was willing to spend just to satisfy the illusion that we are “getting around to it,” all while Resistance quietly wins the day.

Resistance hits hardest right at the starting line and right before the finish line. It uses our own perfectionism against us. It makes us think that unless we can do it perfectly, we shouldn’t do it at all. The cycle of starting and stopping is Resistance using your own high standards as a weapon to keep you silent.

Steven Pressfield shares:

“The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”

“Resistance isn’t a lack of talent or a lack of desire. It is a negative, invisible, terrifyingly intelligent force that arises only when we try to move from a lower level to a higher one.”

“Resistance only fights you if there is something incredibly valuable locked inside you trying to get out.”

We often think resistance is the enemy of meaningful work. In a strange way, it may also be evidence of meaningful work. Nobody feels resistance about things that don’t matter to them. Resistance usually gathers around the doors that lead somewhere important.

Resistance is constant. Truth is I have been postponing writing this message due to Resistance. I said I would write it days ago. I did not…and am only writing it now to prove I will not allow Resistance to make my decisions.

Pressfield’s ultimate antidote to Resistance is turning pro. The amateur views writing or creating as a hobby that depends on inspiration. If the amateur doesn’t “feel like it,” they don’t do it. The professional shows up every single day, regardless of mood, tools, or fears.

Just a few weeks ago, with heart surgery scheduled, I realized something. At seventy-two years old, tomorrow is no longer a promise. If I kept waiting for the perfect time, there was a real possibility these thoughts would disappear with me. I wasn’t willing to let Resistance write the ending to my story.

So, to my grandkids: When you look at this website, don’t just see a collection of posts started in 2026. See a battlefield. See years of false starts, spent money, and silent hesitation.

But most importantly, see that Resistance didn’t get the final word. I finally showed up.

And whatever it is that you are putting off because you are afraid, because you think it’s not the right time, or because you think you aren’t ready—I promise you, Resistance is lying to you. Sit down. Start. Don’t wait as long as I did to fight back.

I’ve come to believe that successful people aren’t always the most talented. They’re often the ones who simply kept showing up after everyone else listened to Resistance.

Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work.

Do not let Resistance win.

Be a Pro.