Today’s quote:
Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing. ~ Salvador Dalí
Originality! Are we not all constantly trying to create something that has never been there before? And doesn’t the attempt to constantly offer something “new” lead to frustration occasionally?
Truth is: You needn’t worry that it’s “all been there before”. If you hold on to that attitude, you will never create, because most of the things you do would then need to go into the bin straightaway.
Do you tend to dispose of ideas because you think they are not original enough, instead of just taking them as a starting point? And, if we look at the other side of the coin: Do you find yourself getting annoyed with other people supposedly “stealing” your ideas, or simply getting them out there quicker than you do?
There is of course a fine line between inspiration, copying and downright plagiarism, but the fear of not being “creative and original enough” is a serious problem if it leads to inhibitions and blocks.
So get inspired: Read, listen, watch, copy – and then put your own spin on it. It is very likely you already did that anyway, because it’s been created by YOU…
© Petra Raspel 2013
