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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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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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There’s an economic theory out there that if you take the incomes of your five closest friends and average them, the resulting number will be pretty close to your own income. I think the same thing is true of idea incomes. You’re only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with.
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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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Copying is about reverse-engineering.
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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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Inertia is the death of creativity
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It's in the act of making things that we figure out who we are.
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Do good work and share it with people.
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The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.
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Don't worry about doing research. Just search.
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You’re only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with.
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Marriage is two people in love standing in the same bathroom
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Travel makes the world look new, and when the world looks new, our brains work harder.
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Eat breakfast. Do some push-ups. Go for long walks. Get plenty of sleep.
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The minute you learn something, turn around and teach it to others.
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So go on, get angry. But keep your mouth shut and go do your work.
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Usually, when we talk about creativity, it's about self-expression, which is great, but for work to be art or design, there has to be someone on the other end. The audience makes the work come alive.
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Enjoy your obscurity while it lasts.
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Don't wait until you know who you are to get started.
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Find the most talented person in the room, and if it's not you, go stand next to him. Hang out with him. Try to be helpful. If you ever find that you're the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room.
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