Why Originality is Overrated

Most creatives start out believing the myth that they need to be completely original.

They believe that if they are not original, they will be ridiculed, shamed, and publicly humiliated.

But despite this belief, and the threat of social suicide, most creatives still start out copying the work of those that inspire them. They replay that melody, copy that product, study that painting, and write in their favorite author’s style.

The reason for this is obvious—most people only find their own voice, after spending some time sounding like everyone else’s.

When this goes well, they discover that there is art that only they can make, because there is only one them.

And that sometimes, people just need to hear their idea from their unique perspective. Someone they resonate with, or someone like them, and that’s all it takes to make an impact in their lives.

So, instead of trying to be original, seek to be authentic.

And in the process you may discover the key to making your message stand out amongst amongst the crowd and call out to those who need to hear it.

Nothing is Original

The unfortunate thing about originality, is that nothing is truly original.

There are only very old things being rediscovered all the time, and over and over again.

Think about this… each human who has ever lived on the Earth has lived ~100 years worth of life experience at maximum (that’s very optimistic and assuming that they take care of themselves).

During this time, many common themes will continue to re-emerge again and again. Love. Loss. Sorrow. Hope. Metamorphosis. New beginnings. There’s only so many story chains that can unfold within the realm of what we human beings find meaningful.

But the shapes those can take, when flavored with our own unique perspectives, and experiences, are infinite.

(Just like how there are only 7 notes and 7 colors, yet an infinite number of melodies and pictures that can be made.)

That’s what it means to be authentic. To create from your own experiences, from your own point of view. Without faking…