Posted by Inspiration and imitation come from the same root- admiration of another- how they are and what they have achieved. However, both have different connotations, with the former being more positive, and latter negative.
We all walk on thin lines during this process, but we must check ourselves- are we getting inspired, or are we imitating?
The following differences can help you identify which one you are experiencing, but they are not exclusive. You could also experience a mix of inspiration and imitation.
| Inspiration | Imitation |
| 1. You retain your own strengths. | You stop caring about all that’s good in you and just look at the model’s strengths. |
| 2. You add to your personality by learning/getting mentorship from this person. | You lose out on your individual brilliances and only try to be like them. |
| 3. You don’t overlook their weakness, but see them in their true form, with the negatives. | You stop seeing the weaknesses in that person, and perceive them as perfect. |
| 4. You give some credit to them for your growth and ideas. | You may not necessarily feel like giving credit to them. |
| 5. You grow a lot in this process. | Instead of growing, you become stagnant. |
| 6. There is a spirit of mentor and disciple, the desire for cooperation, and exchanging knowledge. | Instead of feeling cooperative, you feel competitive and envious. |
Whichever it is, nothing is permanent, and you can always overcome your tendency if it falls on the latter side, and to experience either of them is extremely natural.
Kukiinsights 