Have you ever stopped yourself from creating something because you thought, It’s all been done before? Maybe you’ve seen an idea so similar to yours that you wondered, why bother? If that sounds familiar, here’s your permission to let that doubt go and start creating anyway.
🎨 Originality Is Overrated
Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist, puts it simply:
👉 “Nothing is completely original. Every new idea is just a remix or a mashup of what came before.”
Everything we create is influenced by something. Music samples old melodies. Movies reimagine classic stories. Even great artists throughout history studied and borrowed from each other. Instead of chasing pure originality, focus on making something that reflects YOU.
✨ Remix, Rework, Reinvent
Your creativity is like a kaleidoscope—it takes in bits and pieces of inspiration and rearranges them into something fresh. Here’s how to embrace that process:
🔹 Find Your Influences – Pay attention to the music, art, books, and ideas that inspire you. What resonates with you?
🔹 Remix What You Love – Take inspiration from different sources and mix them in a way that feels authentic to you.
🔹 Put Your Own Spin on It – Your voice, perspective, and personal touch make something truly unique. Even if an idea has been done before, it hasn’t been done by YOU.
🚀 Start Creating Anyway
The world doesn’t need more untapped potential. It needs your version of creativity—your remix, your expression, your interpretation. So instead of worrying about being completely original, focus on being completely YOU.
📌 Reflection Question: What’s something creative you’ve held back on because you thought it wasn’t “original” enough?
✏ Starter Prompt for Kreatives: Find an artist, writer, or creator you admire. Take inspiration from their work and put your own twist on it—whether through art, music, design, or storytelling. Remix and make it yours!