Don’t know what to create? Steal from others!
It has been almost a year since I joined this platform to write, but lately, I find myself unsure of what to write because my mind goes completely blank. However, I’m going to write whatever I like and enjoy.
Currently, I am reading a book called Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, and there are some points that I really like. Today, I’m going to discuss them.
Before I start, as Austin Kleon (the author of the book) said,
“When people give you advice, they’re really just talking to themselves in the past.”
This book is essentially a conversation between him now and his previous self, and similarly, this article is primarily for me.
There are some pieces of advice from the book that I appreciate so far, and I want to save them for myself, but I believe this advice is also shareable with whoever wants to improve their creativity. So, let’s dive in!
Nothing is entirely original.
No matter what we create, say, or do, it has likely been done somewhere in the past. There have been people who shared the same way of thinking as you do now, and there are those who have done things you are considering or who are thinking the same thoughts you want to implement. In short, nothing is entirely original.
Even in the Bible, it is said,
“There is nothing new under the sun.”
So, what should we do? Should we not create, write, or make what we want to?
Well, we definitely should. We must create because, as André Gide said,
“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”
The point is, when we don’t free ourselves from the pressure of creating something original, we would end up creating nothing. So, create whatever you want, and don’t expect it to be entirely original.
Fake it until you make it.
If you don’t have anything to create, just copy others. Imitate them and pretend to be making something until you really do create something. Eventually, you will produce something of your own.
And if you don’t believe me, then believe Salvador Dalí, who said,
“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.”
For now, I think that’s enough, so I’ll stop here and continue reading the book. but before I end, I encourage you to do two things:
- Don’t wait to create something original and perfect because it doesn’t exist.
- Start stealing, copying, imitating, pretending, and fake it until you’re successful — until everyone sees you the way you want them to.
And one more bonus tip: read the book Steal Like an Artist.
Thank you for reading.
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-Aryan
