---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was herself, the original. Everyone…"
description: "\"“She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a copy.”\" — Jon Courtenay Grimwood"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg"
---

#  She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a…

![“She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a copy.” quote by Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg)

> ““She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a copy.””

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Authenticity stands out as original, while others merely imitate, emphasizing the value of being true to oneself.

**In simple terms:** Being original is unique.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your true self.

Themes

authenticity originality individuality

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- personal branding
- artistic expression
- leadership
- social media

Key Concepts

self‑identity creativity

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you maintain authenticity under pressure?
- What distinguishes originality from imitation?

A Different Perspective

Originality can be misunderstood or isolated.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-copy-272834/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Original Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original-just-495969/)

## Related quotes

> [“Be yourself because an original is worth more than just a copy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/be-yourself-because-an-original-is-worth-more-than-just-a-copy/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [If you want to be original just try being yourself, because God has never made two people exactly alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-meltzer/if-you-want-to-be-original-just-try-being-yourself-because-god-has/)

[Bernard Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-meltzer/)

> [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/)

> [Everyday we just copy&amp;paste ourselves from the previous day instead of creating a new blank page and be something different and original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo-goianira/everyday-we-just-copy-paste-ourselves-from-the-previous-day-instead/)

[Marcelo Goianira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo-goianira/)

> [Only God creates. The rest of us just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/only-god-creates-the-rest-of-us-just-copy/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [You can't just copy someone. There are so many different styles that you can just kind of pick and choose whatever it is you'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesaro/you-can-t-just-copy-someone-there-are-so-many-different-styles-that/)

[Cesaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesaro/)

> [Don't try to be original; just try to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/don-t-try-to-be-original-just-try-to-be-good/)

[Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/)

> [You're not smarter than your competitor. Just copy what they do and do it until you get their numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-pincus/you-re-not-smarter-than-your-competitor-just-copy-what-they-do-and-do/)

[Mark Pincus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-pincus/)

> [American management thinks that they can just copy from Japan. But they don't know what to copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/american-management-thinks-that-they-can-just-copy-from-japan-but/)

[W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/)

> [I would say the main thing is, don't just copy yourself, which is what a lot of sequels do. And in some cases, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-would-say-the-main-thing-is-don-t-just-copy-yourself-which-is-what/)

[James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/)

> [As for Lady GaGa, she's just a copy of Madonna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-ball/as-for-lady-gaga-she-s-just-a-copy-of-madonna/)

[Zoe Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-ball/)

> [Please don't try to make things nice! All the wrong notes are right. Just copy as I have -- I want it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ives/please-don-t-try-to-make-things-nice-all-the-wrong-notes-are-right/)

[Charles Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ives/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/when-something-original-works-then-everyone-wants-to-copy-it-but-if/)

[Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/)

> [Be your self because a original is worth more than a COPY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-your-self-because-a-original-is-worth-more-than-a-copy/)

[Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/)

> [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/)

[KK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kk/)

## More by Jon Courtenay Grimwood

> [“No one could tie you tighter than you could tie yourself and it was the ropes you couldn't see that bound you tightest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/no-one-could-tie-you-tighter-than-you-could-tie-yourself-and-it-was/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [There was something intrinsically sad about Shinjuku. A vacuum-packed hollowness that no quantity of neon could hide. Roppongi was the same, only there the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/there-was-something-intrinsically-sad-about-shinjuku-a-vacuum-packed/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“We die every day," Kit said. "It's called being human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/we-die-every-day-kit-said-it-s-called-being-human/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [Geoff Nelder inhabits Science Fiction the way other people inhabit their clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/geoff-nelder-inhabits-science-fiction-the-way-other-people-inhabit/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“Unfortunately, since there was only one of him, most of his riches were wasted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/unfortunately-since-there-was-only-one-of-him-most-of-his-riches-were/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“that opening position in every negotiation. The one that said, out of the goodness of my heart I'm going to agree to rob you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/that-opening-position-in-every-negotiation-the-one-that-said-out-of/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“He was just one of those people ... one of a thousand expats who'd dragged their unhappiness to the other side of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/he-was-just-one-of-those-people-one-of-a-thousand-expats-who-d/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“All beauty, according to Lady Katchatka, had its origins in pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/all-beauty-according-to-lady-katchatka-had-its-origins-in-pain/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“Seems to be catching." "What is?" asked Neku. "Wanting Kit dead." Neku shrugged. "He was fucking the wife of a gang boss and bikers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/seems-to-be-catching-what-is-asked-neku-wanting-kit-dead-neku/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“There were old firemasters and bad firemasters; there were no old bad firemasters”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/there-were-old-firemasters-and-bad-firemasters-there-were-no-old-bad/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“the answer was no, whatever her query was, except for those bits to which his answer was yes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/the-answer-was-no-whatever-her-query-was-except-for-those-bits-to/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [Half of Japan still couldn't tell the difference between crime and politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/half-of-japan-still-couldn-t-tell-the-difference-between-crime-and/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“It followed that every act, whether the finding of a new proof for a complex mathematical problem or a twist of vision that turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/it-followed-that-every-act-whether-the-finding-of-a-new-proof-for-a/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

> [“No one owns you, I know that. No one owns me. No one owns anyone. We just get to borrow each for a while.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/no-one-owns-you-i-know-that-no-one-owns-me-no-one-owns-anyone-we-just/)

[Jon Courtenay Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

[Explore all 15 Jon Courtenay Grimwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/)

## More Copy quotes

> [Would ya like a copy of my butt? -Butt-Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beavis-and-butthead/would-ya-like-a-copy-of-my-butt-butt-head/)

[Beavis And Butthead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beavis-and-butthead/)

> [“All religions worthy of the name are now making great efforts to purify their doctrines and return to their original standpoint, — all except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/all-religions-worthy-of-the-name-are-now-making-great-efforts-to/)

[Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/)

> [I've reread 'The Secret Garden' every year as an adult. I have a battered copy on my bookshelf - it's really quite a mess!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-ve-reread-the-secret-garden-every-year-as-an-adult-i-have-a/)

[Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/)

> [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/)

> [“Everytime you make a copy of the copy, you lose clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/everytime-you-make-a-copy-of-the-copy-you-lose-clarity/)

[Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/)

> [William Regal is an obvious influence, as is Fit Finlay - you can see that in my style of wrestling - but I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-dunne/william-regal-is-an-obvious-influence-as-is-fit-finlay-you-can-see/)

[Pete Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-dunne/)

> [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/)

> [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/)

[Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/)

> [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/)

> [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/)

[KK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kk/)

> [I used to copy looks from fashion ads in my mother's 'Cosmopolitan' magazines and steal her eye shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-used-to-copy-looks-from-fashion-ads-in-my-mother-s-cosmopolitan/)

[Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/)

> [I like to read non-fiction on my e-reader, but as for fiction, I usually like to have a copy to keep at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-like-to-read-non-fiction-on-my-e-reader-but-as-for-fiction-i/)

[Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/)

> [I've always avoided publicity. I've never been good copy at any stage of my life. I don't strive for it, because I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/i-ve-always-avoided-publicity-i-ve-never-been-good-copy-at-any-stage/)

[Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/)

> [You can copy, but hold the applause you get the satisfaction of mind can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-copy-but-hold-the-applause-you-get-the-satisfaction-of-mind/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

> [Long time ago, people would make the Bible, right? The guy said it, somebody wrote it down. And then if you wanted another copy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/long-time-ago-people-would-make-the-bible-right-the-guy-said-it/)

[Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/)

[Browse all 594 Copy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a copy.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jon Courtenay Grimwood"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-else-was-just-a-copy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Copy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-else-was-just-a-copy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/jon-courtenay-grimwood-32379_copy_she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-el_243228.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“She was herself, the original. Everyone else was just a copy.” — Jon Courtenay Grimwood",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jon Courtenay Grimwood",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-courtenay-grimwood/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“She was herself, the original. Everyone...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-else-was-just-a-copy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-courtenay-grimwood/she-was-herself-the-original-everyone-else-was-just-a-copy/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
