And Conan O’Brien tried to be David Letterman but ended up Conan O’Brien. In O’Brien’s words, “It is our failure to become “I have stolen all of thes… - Austin Kleon

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Engraved portrait of Austin Kleon, facing right

And Conan O’Brien tried to be David Letterman but ended up Conan O’Brien. In O’Brien’s words, “It is our failure to become “I have stolen all of these moves from all these great players. I just try to do them proud, the guys who came before, because I learned so much from them. It’s all in the name of the game. It’s a lot bigger than me.” — Kobe Bryant our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique.” Thank goodness.

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About Austin Kleon

Austin Kleon (born June 16, 1983) is the New York Times bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work!, and Keep Going.

Biography information from Wikiquote · Portrait adapted from Wikimedia Commons, Larry D. Moore (CC BY)

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Additional quotes by Austin Kleon

Wunderkammern, a “wonder chamber,” or a “cabinet of curiosities” in your house — a room filled with rare and remarkable objects that served as a kind of external display of your thirst for knowledge of the world.

Always be reading. Go to the library. There's magic in being surrounded by books. Get lost in the stacks. Read bibiliographies. It's not the book you start with, it's the book that book leads you to.

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When we’re glued to our screens, the world looks unreal. Terrible. Not worth saving or even spending time with. Everyone on earth seems like a troll or a maniac or worse. But you get outside and you start walking and you come to your senses. Yeah, there are a few maniacs and some ugliness, but there are also people smiling, birds chirping, clouds flying overhead . . . all that stuff. There’s possibility. Walking is a way to find possibility in your life when there doesn’t seem to be any left.

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