The idea that stealing ideas is the highest form of flattery is bullshit. In fact it sounds like the worst kind of manipulative and cunning vibe thief came up with the notion that their inability to acknowledge thier source of inspiration or come up with their own ideas is some form of flattery. That sounds similar to the old lie fed to us, “Oh, he hit you? That means he likes you!” Ummm, no. It’s a bitch move. What’s worse is the original creator can never speak of the vibe theft without sounding like a petty twit. When in reality they have every right to feel robbed of their creativity. It happens time and time again. Vibe thieves will swoop in like vultures. You will look from afar, like, Yea! Hey! Hi! Oh, you came up with that? Awesome. Great job! Shine on you crazy diamond!  Here is a trophy of a giant, gold,  middle finger with a plaque that says,  “Great Job Super Douche! You’re #1!”

“People who lack integrity will refuse to give credit where it is due and steal your creativity and pretend to be you.” – Fields

A leader sparks action in others and has to learn to stand with their head held high knowing that not all will give credit where it is due. It does not make you less seen or irrelevant. When you are highly creative and pride yourself in being unique it can be difficult to express yourself creatively for fear of your ideas, individuality and self-expression being stolen. The most respectful way to use another’s ideas is to put your own spin on things you find inspiring. We see it all the time in every area of life. We also see who acknowledges their inspiration or those who attempt to fly under the radar and highjack your heart’s work. Do not stop creating because of creativity highjackers! Instead rest easy knowing your light and mind are sending out a beautiful ripple effect.
Giving credit to someone who has inspired you is essential. When someone works diligently to inspire others, give to others and whole heartedly gives of themselves it can feel disheartening when what you have created appears in someone elses work. The thing is the creator’s whole mission has all been in the name of inspiring others to look within and find their own creative fire. When credit is ignored and forgotten it can make the heart of the original creator heavy as the biggest form of flattery is not in the taking, but in the acknowledgment of the inspiration because this is what the creator set out to ignite all along. Which is for the next person to find themselves through the creator’s offerings and set out onto  their own path. A domino effect of creative energy and individuality that spreads like wildfire. To know you have lit the fire in another person to create something original from their heart and mind is as Loretta Young said best, inestimable. When you give credit where it is due it shows a certain amount of integrity and class.
We can piss and moan over the vibe thief or we can continue to evolve by recreating ourselves over and over again. The creative process is a beautiful one because it is never done. It changes form and grows with each person, music, piece  art or article that inspires you to build something new! I know almost every single person I know has in some way inspired a certain thought, project, gift or creation along the way. Life inspires our art and our art inspires life. Whatever your art may be, be true to it. After all is said and done, “Art is not what you see. It is what you make others see.”