🧠 The Creative Coder’s Mindset: Lessons from Steal Like an Artist

Unlock your creativity, overcome the fear of originality, and start building tech projects by learning the art of inspired imitation.

Over the last few months, I’ve been writing blog posts that blend ideas from books and fictional characters to inspire a different way of thinking — not just about tech, but about creativity, mindset, and personal growth.

Books like Atomic Habits, Show Your Work, and now Steal Like an Artist have helped me view tech not just as something I study, but as something I create with. These ideas have become part of my thought process while building apps and writing code.

Recently, I picked up Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon — a short but sharp book about the creative process. One of the most comforting ideas in it was this: You don’t have to be original to start creating. You just have to start.

And that shifted something in me.

🎨 Creativity Isn’t Originality — It’s Transformation

Kleon says:

“Nothing is original. Everything is inspired.”

This isn’t a depressing idea. It’s freeing.

Every great artist, filmmaker, or developer has built on someone else’s ideas. They started by copying, experimenting, learning, and then eventually created their own style.

We often get stuck in the idea that unless we invent something brand new, it doesn’t matter. But that mindset kills creativity before it even begins.

The truth is, most apps, features, designs — even business models — are remixes of what already exists. And that’s okay.

Even when I built my first iOS projects, I didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. I remixed tutorials, played with UI variations, and tried to improve simple clones. That’s not stealing. That’s creative learning.

🚀 Start with Copying — End with Creating

At the beginning of my coding journey, I copied a lot.

Copying wasn’t about stealing credit — it was about absorbing patterns, understanding how things are built, and practicing structure.

I used to feel a little guilty about it, like I wasn’t doing “real” work. But over time, I realized what Steal Like an Artist teaches:

“Copying isn’t theft — it’s practice.”

Just like artists sketch other artists’ work to study form and technique, developers copy code to understand logic and flow. Over time, your brain starts to make creative connections — and then, you begin to innovate.

You’re not trying to be someone else. You’re learning how to think like them — until you find your own voice in the process.

🔁 Remixing Is the Real Creativity

You don’t need to wait for a perfect idea. You can start by remixing what already exists:

Rebuild a to-do app and add a unique feature
Clone a UI design and change the logic behind it
Fork a GitHub project and improve the documentation
Take a blog post and rewrite it in your own voice

The possibilities are endless. And the more you remix, the more you start owning your creations.

Kleon says:

“Don’t just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style.”

That’s where real creativity starts — not in copying the outcome, but in understanding the process behind it.

🧒 Create with a Sense of Play

One thing I’ve been trying to bring into my learning is playfulness. When I take pressure off myself to be perfect, I enjoy coding more.

When you’re playful:

You build more freely.
You take risks.
You’re not afraid to break things.

That mindset allows you to explore tech like a playground, not a test. And from there, creativity flows naturally.

This is something I've seen across every book I’ve written about: from Sherlock Holmes’ curiosity to James Clear’s systems — the consistent message is to let go of the need to be perfect and just get in motion.

✍️ Why I Write from Books and Characters

Most of my blogs come from what I read — not just tutorials, but books that shift my way of thinking. I learn better that way.

Characters like Sherlock Holmes or authors like Kleon have helped me:

Approach tech like a thinker, not just a coder
Break down complex concepts into creative processes
Stay motivated when I feel stuck

Writing from books is my way of reflecting and connecting the dots. I believe we all have something unique to say — and sometimes, someone else’s words unlock that for us.

🔄 Learning in Public Makes It Stick

Another powerful idea that connects with this book is learning in public.

When you remix, rebuild, and share it online — you learn faster. You get feedback, build confidence, and stop waiting to feel ready.

And as I’ve written in my previous blog:

❌ “I’ll share when it’s perfect.”
✅ “Sharing is what helps me improve.”

Learning out loud turns your blog, GitHub, or X (Twitter) profile into a living proof of progress — and that’s what helps you stand out as a developer.

🎯 Final Thought: Start Stealing (The Right Way)

So if you’re just starting out in tech or building your next project, here’s what I’d say:

Don’t wait to be original.
Don’t wait to be an expert.
Start building. Start remixing. Start showing your work.

Creativity isn’t reserved for geniuses. It’s for people who show up, copy smart, learn publicly, and create imperfectly.

Let Steal Like an Artist be your reminder:
You don’t need permission to create.
You just need to start.

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The Creative Coder’s Mindset: Lessons from ‘Steal Like an Artist’