Normally VidBits are quick overviews of fantastic books and insightful talks by their authors, but today I wanted to show you something a little bit different. Have you ever met someone you thought was extremely creative? Here’s the truth – they were, at least partly, borrowing from something else around them. Stealing if you see the world with a glass half empty point of view. Heavily influenced if you like your glass half full.

“He who is most creative conceals his sources the best.” – Anonymous

“There is nothing new under the sun.” – King Solomon

Of course, duplicating an idea outright is usually stealing… but finding a new application for an existing process or product that no one has thought of yet? Fair game. That’s why I study other industries like airlines, automakers, and consumer packaged goods companies so closely. To borrow from the large amounts of capitol and time they have invested into finding answers to similar problems!

Perhaps you still think I’m endorsing intellectual theft, and that exceptional individuals (like yourself) are able to create breakthrough ideas in a vacuum and you don’t owe partial credit to another source? Take a look at the video below to see for yourself how everything we do builds off each other, and why there is an image of a toaster in this blog post.

It is this acknowledgement of the necessity in sharing of ideas that leads me to talk so openly with anyone who wishes to do so. If you’re still trying to do it all, and do it by yourself - why?

Want to learn more about the man behind the toaster project?