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If we're free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running from it.

Austin Kleon

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Austin Kleon
Age: 41
Born: 1983
Born: June 16
Author
Musician
Visual Artist
Writer
Ohio
United States
Running
Original
Nothing
Burden
Trying
Embrace
Something
Completely
Make
Instead
Influence
Stop
Free
Originals

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Don't wait until you know who you are to get started.
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Do good work and share it with people.
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In order to be found, you have to be findable.
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Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored -- the trick is to be too busy doing your work to care.
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If you’re worried about giving your secrets away, you can share your dots without connecting them.
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The artist is a collector. Not a hoarder, mind you, there's a difference: Hoarders collect indiscriminately, artists collect selectively. They only collect things that they really love.
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You'll either find the answer or you'll come up with a better question.
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Become a documentarian of what you do.
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Don't worry about doing research. Just search.
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Copying is about reverse-engineering.
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Travel makes the world look new, and when the world looks new, our brains work harder.
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Every artist gets asked the question, 'Where do you get your ideas?' The honest artist answers, 'I steal them.'
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You’re only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with.
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Unless you are actually a ninja, a guru, or a rock star, don't ever use any of those terms in your bio. Ever.
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The minute you learn something, turn around and teach it to others.
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When people give advice, they're really just talking to themselves in the past.
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Eat breakfast. Do some push-ups. Go for long walks. Get plenty of sleep.
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Obituaries are like near-death experiences for cowards.
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Enjoy your obscurity while it lasts.
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Pretend to be making something until you actually make something.
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