Inspiration often feels like a surprise. In fact, many ideas are simply old forms reborn with new faces.

Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet from an existing story. Mozart and Disney started with a fragment of an idea they saw, believed in it, and created it. There is no pure creation. There are combinations.

Combinatorial Creativity

Albert Einstein called creativity combinatorial play — the game of combining old things into something that appears new.

Here we often call it ATM: Observe, Copy, Modify .

• Observe → open your eyes to what is already there.

• Copy → learn from successful patterns.

• Modification → give a unique touch to suit you.

ATMs aren't a quick fix, but a way to build your identity. You're no longer stuck searching for something completely new. You start focusing on how to transform what already exists into your own.

Not Just in the Art World

ATMs are usually associated with art and design. But this principle applies to many fields.

Tech startups don't create pure ideas from scratch. Gojek, for example, combines traditional motorcycle taxis with a digital app. Spotify combines music with a subscription model. Fashion lives on through remixes: old pieces combined with new trends.

Every great innovation is essentially a simple combination seen in a new way.

Inspiration in Everyday Life

Not only big businesses, even everyday decisions are often born from a combination.

When choosing a career, you might combine personal interests with job opportunities. When searching for the right learning method, you might try a friend's method and then modify it to suit your own pace.

There's nothing wrong with that. It's precisely from that combination that your lifestyle, work style, and even your personality are formed.

From Inspiration to Life Direction

For many young people, the biggest pressure is to “find something original.” But the important thing isn’t to create something that never existed, but to find a way to see the world from your own perspective.

What is commonplace to others may seem new when seen and told from your perspective.

The future is no different. Your path may not be entirely new. Many people already work, run businesses, or create in that field. But how you modify your path—that's where your uniqueness lies.

Trust in the Process

Mozart and Disney had a simple pattern: see an idea in your head, believe in it, then make it happen.

The combination of desire, discipline, and determination allows them to make what is in their heads a reality.

It's not an exclusive gift. Everyone can access it — if they dare to start.

Reflection: What Makes It Unique?

Nothing is truly new. What matters is how you process, add to, and modify it to create something unique.

Reflection: What was the last inspiration you found—and what small steps can you take to make it yours?