// Book comparison
The Hard Thing About Hard Things vs The War of Art
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz and The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
by Ben Horowitz
★ 4.9/5
The War of Art
by Steven Pressfield
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Hard Thing About Hard Things | The War of Art | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 304 | 192 |
| Reading time | ~7.6 h | ~4.8 h |
| Published | 2014 | 2002 |
| Author | Ben Horowitz | Steven Pressfield |
| Category | Startups & Entrepreneurship | Personal Effectiveness |
| Publisher | HarperBusiness | Black Irish Entertainment |
Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…
- → You're interested in startups & entrepreneurship.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2014).
Choose The War of Art if…
- → You're interested in personal effectiveness.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~4.8 hours).
Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things
- ✓ Understand the difference between Peacetime and Wartime Leadership, recognizing that a crisis requires a shift from collaborative consensus to directive, high-velocity decision-making.
- ✓ Manage Your Own Psychology during 'The Struggle', recognizing that the ability to stay calm and objective when the organization is at risk is a leader's most critical strategic asset.
- ✓ Prioritize The Truth in your organizational communication, ensuring that bad news travels fast and that every employee understands the reality of the firm's strategic challenges.
Key takeaways — The War of Art
- ✓ Identify Resistance in your organization by recognizing the symptoms of procrastination and bureaucratic drama that often signal a team's fear of a transformative project.
- ✓ Transition from an Amateur to a Professional Mindset by requiring consistent, daily effort on core strategic goals, regardless of the fluctuating levels of individual inspiration.
- ✓ Maintain Territorial Focus by ensuring that your team members own and defend their specific areas of high-level expertise, protecting them from the 'Resistance' of mission creep.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. If you specifically need personal effectiveness, The War of Art is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The War of Art better? +
The Hard Thing About Hard Things has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. The Hard Thing About Hard Things focuses on startups & entrepreneurship, while The War of Art focuses on personal effectiveness. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The War of Art? +
The War of Art is shorter (192 pages, ~4.8 hours) compared to The Hard Thing About Hard Things (304 pages, ~7.6 hours).
Should I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The War of Art first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.