Unlock Your Inner Creator Genius
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
by Austin Kleon
Creativity
TL;DR
Forget waiting for divine inspiration; this book is all about actively building your creative muscle by shamelessly borrowing, remixing, and transforming what already exists. It teaches you to collect good ideas like a digital hoarder, organize your creative chaos, and share your work even if it's not "perfect." The core idea is that creativity isn't magic, it's a process of iteration and influence, so stop gatekeeping your own potential and start making stuff using the tools and inspiration around you.
Action Items
Scroll through your favorite social media or art sites. Pick three things you genuinely love. Now, think about why you love them and how you could incorporate one element from each into something you're working on, or even just a new idea.
Grab a notebook or open a new digital doc. For the next 10 minutes, write down every single random thought or idea that pops into your head, no matter how stupid or irrelevant it seems. Don't filter. Just dump.
Pick one piece of creative work you've been holding onto because it's "not ready." Share it with one person you trust, or post it on a low-stakes platform (like a private story or a niche subreddit).
If you're currently stressing about money and your creative work, spend 30 minutes looking for part-time or flexible job opportunities that could cover your basic expenses, freeing up your creative energy.
Look at your immediate surroundings (physical or digital). Identify one thing or person that consistently drains your creative energy or makes you feel uninspired. Figure out how to minimize its presence or replace it with something positive.
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Key Chapter
Chapter - Just Start, You F***ing Idiot (aka Don't Wait Until You Know Who You Are to Get Started)
This chapter is a brutal reality check for anyone stuck in analysis paralysis, waiting for their "true self" or "perfect idea" to emerge before they actually do anything. It's like, dude, you're not gonna find your vibe by staring at your phone; you find it by doing the damn thing. Your identity, your style, your voice – it all evolves through action, not contemplation. Stop overthinking and just start creating, even if it's messy. The process of making is how you figure out what you like, what you're good at, and who you actually are. Embrace the awkward first steps because that's where the real learning happens. Don't let the fear of not knowing your destination keep you from taking the first step; the path reveals itself as you walk it. Action is the ultimate clarity.
Key Methods and Approaches
Your Brain's Pinterest Board
(AKA: Steal Like an Artist)
Description:
Don't invent; collect. Find stuff you love, rip it off, and make it your own.
Explanation:
Your brain isn't a factory for brand-new ideas out of thin air; it's more like a super-advanced, slightly chaotic Pinterest board. You see cool shit, you pin it (mentally or literally), and then you mash it up with other cool shit you've pinned. It's like being a DJ: you don't invent new sounds, you mix existing tracks into a banger. Stop trying to be God; be a curator with a twist.
Examples:
Seeing a cool outfit on TikTok, buying similar pieces, and styling it your own way.
Finding a dope beat on YouTube, adding your own lyrics, and making a new song.
Admiring a specific photography style, then trying to replicate its lighting and composition with your own subjects.
Reading a book with a unique narrative structure and applying a similar structure to your own story idea.
Today's Action:
Scroll through your favorite social media or art sites. Pick three things you genuinely love. Now, think about why you love them and how you could incorporate one element from each into something you're working on, or even just a new idea.
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