Imitate, then Innovate: The Power of Learning from Others

Imitate, then Innovate: The Power of Learning from Others

In the creative world, there is often a fear of imitating others. Many creators suffer from what David Perell calls "Originality Disease," a fear of imitating other people's styles. However, Perell argues that imitation and innovation are not opposed but rather operate in tandem. By imitating others, we can discover our unique style and build upon the ideas of those who came before us.

Creators consume art differently than consumers. They are intentional in what they consume, using it as productive work to develop their own ideas and techniques. Directors, for example, watch movies not just for entertainment but also to learn from how they are made. They borrow ideas and build upon them in their own work. This process of admiration and reverse-engineering is a powerful source of inspiration.

We have been taught to fear imitation and plagiarism from a young age, injected with the fear of being unoriginal. However, throughout history, most learning happened through apprenticeships, where imitative learning was the norm. Leonardo da Vinci, for example, observed and imitated the work of others as an apprentice, and this directly influenced his later creations.

While there is value in originality, it should not be the ultimate goal. Einstein's paradigm-shifting invention of general relativity, for instance, was enabled by decades of studying classical physicists and building upon their ideas. The fear of plagiarism has led many to overlook the power of imitation and learning from those who have come before us.

Imitation helps us discover our creative personalities and reveals our taste and natural inclinations in the creative process. By imitating somebody's work, we are forced to think about why they made certain decisions, and in the process, we develop a deeper understanding of our own artistic choices.

Learning from other disciplines can also enhance our creativity. For example, learning to see as a painter can greatly benefit a writer. Both skills require keen observation and the ability to illuminate the world, whether with color and shadow or with words and metaphors. By broadening our inputs and escaping the never-ending present, we can diversify our influences and find inspiration in unexpected places.

In the world of technology, open-source models have challenged the idea of proprietary knowledge. Open-source models are faster, more customizable, and often more capable than restricted models. People are less likely to pay for a restricted model when free alternatives are comparable in quality. The barrier to entry for training and experimentation has significantly dropped, allowing ordinary individuals to contribute their ideas and innovations.