On Being Original

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” – C. S. Lewis

We all want to be original. The funny thing is that we look around at all of the “successful” or famous people in the world and think…”I just need to be original. I need to be just like that person!” All the while never seeing the contradiction in our thinking. As a result, many of us spend our entire lives trying to be something – or somebody – else. This, of course, is entirely un-original.

Hopefully at some point we realize that the only original thing we will ever be is ourselves. And if we just embrace who we are and be truthful about that, not only will we be totally original, but we’ll live an extraordinary life in our own, original way.