The single most crippling phenomenon we experience as creatives is the Resistance.

The Resistance is an invisible wall of our own construction that we must battle our way through. If we fail to confront it, we fall victim to its steadfast opposition.

Long story short, our ideas cease to be before the pen ever hits the paper or the brush ever grazes the canvas.

On my blog, I wrote a whole series on this topic and how to go to war with the Resistance. But I saved one secret weapon in the arsenal to share with you all today.

You can find the rest of this series, as well as a lengthier exploration of the topic, in my free eBook: Just Create It: Overcoming the Resistance.

That secret weapon is a strong team of advisors.

We are not alone

To quote the old adage, “No man is an island.” We all need outside support if we are going to overcome our Resistance and achieve success.

We need trusted advisors to guide us through and essentially save us from ourselves. Proverbs 11:14 tells us that, “Where there is no guidance a people falls. But, in the abundance of counselors, there is safety.”

So what does that look like?

Characteristics of a trusted advisor

I’ve established five characteristics of a strong advisor:

1. He (or she) is tried and true. This is a friend who has a positive track record. From my days in the music industry, I’ve found that it is remarkably easy to surround yourself with people who are rooting for your failure. Seek out those who genuinely want to see you succeed.
2. He must have a discerning mind. This is a person who not only knows you, but knows your heart. He is able to tell the difference between an idea that aligns with your long-term vision and one that doesn’t. He can spur you on in the right directions and save you from the wrong ones.
3. He is inherently wise. This advisor has seen enough life to know the way things are and the way they aren’t. He has enough knowledge and experience to walk with you through the good times and the bad.
4. He is not afraid to speak the truth in love. This is the person who is not afraid to call you out for getting down on yourself. He is not afraid to point out when you’re not living up to your own standards. He won’t wimp out and allow you to rationalize self-defeat.
5. He absolutely must have the gift of encouragement. God save the man who doesn’t have friends in his life with this gift. This is more important than any of the other characteristics. We need advisors who will push us towards our goals and support us in our defeats.

I’ve been blessed to have many of these strong people in my life. They are my biggest support in those times where I feel the weight of the Resistance.

I encourage you to seek out these people and to hold fast to their friendship. If you can’t find these people, please don’t hesitate to email me.

Do you have a team of trusted advisors to help you overcome the Resistance? Share in the comments.