--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When something original works, then…" description: "\"When something original works, then everyone wants to copy it. But if you're trying to do something that no one's ever seen before it's frightening.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/chris-carter-14002_copies_when-something-original-works-then-every_136404.png" --- # When something original works, then everyone wants to copy… ![“When something original works, then everyone wants to copy it. But if you're trying to do something that no one's ever seen before it's frightening.” quote by Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/chris-carter-14002_copies_when-something-original-works-then-every_136404.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/chris-carter-14002_copies_when-something-original-works-then-every_136404.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/chris-carter-14002_copies_when-something-original-works-then-every_136404.png) > “When something original works, then everyone wants to copy it. But if you're trying to do something that no one's ever seen before it's frightening.” [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Original ideas attract imitation; pioneering uncharted concepts can be intimidating. **In simple terms:** Original work gets copied; new ideas feel scary. Key Takeaway Balance originality with courage. Themes creativity innovation fear Mood reflective anxious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - startup launches - artistic projects - tech development Key Concepts originality copying risk taking Questions to Reflect On - Are you afraid to be first? - How do you handle imitation? A Different Perspective Copying can dilute originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy/) [Copy Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy-trying-1552807/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wants Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants-copy-1552808/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone wants to copy and no one wants to learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/everyone-wants-to-copy-and-no-one-wants-to-learn/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Quotations--always inexact. I don't trust people who cannot even copy out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/quotations-always-inexact-i-don-t-trust-people-who-cannot-even-copy/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If you can’t out iterate someone who is trying to copy you, you’re toast anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-you-can-t-out-iterate-someone-who-is-trying-to-copy-you-you-re/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The theme of counterfeits, of those that produce and sell them, has always been part of the culture of M.I.A. When I was contacted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/the-theme-of-counterfeits-of-those-that-produce-and-sell-them-has/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [I can only listen to what I'm working on, at the time. I can't listen to anything else because I don't want to copy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/i-can-only-listen-to-what-i-m-working-on-at-the-time-i-can-t-listen/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [Ive never really tried to copy anyone, I like to have my own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-aiken/ive-never-really-tried-to-copy-anyone-i-like-to-have-my-own-style/) [Liam Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-aiken/) > [You can never make copies without first consulting the BLUEPRINT!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-never-make-copies-without-first-consulting-the-blueprint/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've got to be able to copy things faithfully before you can deviate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-copy-things-faithfully-before-you-can-deviate/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Since the model he so faithfully copies is not going to be hung up next to the picture... it is of no interest whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-freud/since-the-model-he-so-faithfully-copies-is-not-going-to-be-hung-up/) [Lucian Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-freud/) > [Mr. Trump is Mr. Trump. I'm Mr. Wilders. I'm not anybody's copy or whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/mr-trump-is-mr-trump-i-m-mr-wilders-i-m-not-anybody-s-copy-or/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [Take notes. Everything is copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/take-notes-everything-is-copy/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If the headline is a good one, it is a relatively simple matter to write the copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/if-the-headline-is-a-good-one-it-is-a-relatively-simple-matter-to/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) ## More by Chris Carter > [“The Truth is out there”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-truth-is-out-there/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [The real challenge in doing a TV show is in what I would call the maintenance energy. You take that creative energy and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-real-challenge-in-doing-a-tv-show-is-in-what-i-would-call-the/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [The experience of seeing a surf movie in the 1970s, as a teenager, and the energy in those theatres, was amazing. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-experience-of-seeing-a-surf-movie-in-the-1970s-as-a-teenager-and/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“He's the most dangerous man alive. Not so much because he believes in his actions, but because he believes his actions are all which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/he-s-the-most-dangerous-man-alive-not-so-much-because-he-believes-in/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Writing is a little athletic for me. I get worked up a little bit when I do it. So I guess I'm a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/writing-is-a-little-athletic-for-me-i-get-worked-up-a-little-bit-when/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [I think I've been asked a lot more than most TV producers to go on-camera. But I just do what I do and don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/i-think-i-ve-been-asked-a-lot-more-than-most-tv-producers-to-go-on/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > ['The X-Files' was a hard sell because people didn't know what it was. The network didn't understand what it was that they were buying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-x-files-was-a-hard-sell-because-people-didn-t-know-what-it-was/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Just think of any consulting business – its solutions to whatever problems occur will be what it currently offers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/just-think-of-any-consulting-business-its-solutions-to-whatever/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Even if I see 300 'X-Files' fans together, I can't fathom - I cannot imagine - the audience itself. All I think about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/even-if-i-see-300-x-files-fans-together-i-can-t-fathom-i-cannot/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Producing a series is like being Lewis and Clark: You know where you're going, you just don't know how you're going to get there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/producing-a-series-is-like-being-lewis-and-clark-you-know-where-you/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [So many things for me are unfortunate in the commercialization of something that is special. It's like when Led Zeppelin appears in Cadillac commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/so-many-things-for-me-are-unfortunate-in-the-commercialization-of/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [I've become very interested in the spectrum of political discourse as seen on the cable news channels that are conveniently right in a row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/i-ve-become-very-interested-in-the-spectrum-of-political-discourse-as/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Our knowledge does not help us to forecast the future, but it makes us more certain that our guesses are the right ones. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/our-knowledge-does-not-help-us-to-forecast-the-future-but-it-makes-us/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Interpretation is directly related to a person's frame of mind. Looking at the same image, a person could see two different things depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/interpretation-is-directly-related-to-a-person-s-frame-of-mind/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [In Canada, I climbed some mountains with the Alpine Club of Canada, which taught me a lot about stamina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/in-canada-i-climbed-some-mountains-with-the-alpine-club-of-canada/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) [Explore all 48 Chris Carter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) ## More Copies quotes > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My songs are like cheap Neil Young copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/my-songs-are-like-cheap-neil-young-copies/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [The idea is not to copy nature, but to give a feeling of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-oudolf/the-idea-is-not-to-copy-nature-but-to-give-a-feeling-of-nature/) [Piet Oudolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-oudolf/) > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There have to be at least two copies of a photograph, otherwise it’s not a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ruff/there-have-to-be-at-least-two-copies-of-a-photograph-otherwise-it-s/) [Thomas Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ruff/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [People have one of two extreme reactions to my book. They either throw it across the room, or they rush out and buy 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/people-have-one-of-two-extreme-reactions-to-my-book-they-either-throw/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) [Browse all 971 Copies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When something original works, then everyone wants to copy it. 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