Originality is a myth. That's okay though.

The first time I realized I wasn’t actually original, I had a minor creative meltdown.

Like, “stare-at-the-ceiling-and-question-your-entire-life’s-worth” kind of meltdown. I had been so sure my work was unique, that I was creating from the purest part of my soul, untouched by outside influence.

Then I realized... “Oh. I basically ripped pieces from an old IKEA catalog and called it a mood board.” And that is when I realized…originality is a myth. 

Every designer, artist, writer, chef — every creative person, really — is just absorbing a chunk of the universe and spitting it back out through their own lens. And that’s kind of beautiful.

Note: My best work has always come from remixing. Taking something from Bauhaus, mixing it with a ‘90s Taco Bell tray liner, and adding a dash of Wes Anderson. That’s the cocktail. That’s the magic.

What matters isn’t that we pull from existing ideas — it’s how we combine them. How intentionally we remix. How we put our own fingerprints all over it.

So if you’re stuck waiting for the heavens to open and deliver a completely original concept... stop. Go look at old stuff. Steal like an artist (ethically, of course). Pay tribute. Remix the familiar into something new.

In summary, creativity is equal parts curiosity and collection. So be a curious raccoon with Wi-Fi access and an Adobe subscription.