Imitation might seem flattering, but in practice, it’s a shortcut, and shortcuts rarely lead anywhere meaningful. Nikola Tesla captured this perfectly when he said, “I don’t care that they stole my idea. I care that they don’t have their own.”

When Guglielmo Marconi commercialized radio telegraphy using prior art including Tesla's 1897 tuned four-circuit system, he focused on incremental point-to-point messaging, whereas his broad patents were later invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1943 for anticipating Tesla's work…

→ Tesla, meanwhile, envisioned a "World Wireless System" via Wardenclyffe Tower to transmit signals and power globally.
→ And, Marconi's quick commercial wins pulled funding toward safer bets, stalling Tesla's radical vision and leaving the field repeating proven paths instead of building transformative networks.

The issue wasn’t that they were shared ideas. It’s that they weren’t advanced.

Similarly, when people copy my work, I see an absence of strategy, vision, and courage to create something new. Real originality takes discipline and conviction. Copying, on the other hand, often stems from laziness, and a desire to borrow outcomes without understanding the thinking that made them possible.

Replication can look like creativity, but replication without reflection dulls real progress. Innovation is about intentional contribution.

→ Leonardo studied anatomy from prior scholars, yet transformed it into living motion in his drawings.
→ Michelangelo drew on classical form, but with unprecedented psychological depth.

Their framework was simple:

That’s the difference between learning from and copying someone.

Renaissance artists were trained to copy. But copying wasn’t the end goal.
When Raphael encountered the work of Leonardo and Michelangelo, he didn’t replicate it. He blended softness with structure, emotion with precision, ultimately producing works like The School of Athens.

The Renaissance was quite simply built on evolution of thought.

Others, like Aman Resorts have defined a philosophy which exploded the market:

Minimalist interiors. Neutral palettes. “Wellness” positioning.

What followed? A flood of beautiful but interchangeable properties fueled by aesthetic imitation without philosophical depth. Brands chased the surface, but missed the strategy.

This same pattern repeats everywhere across industries:

The paradox? Experts know how to replicate excellence, but lack the courage to diverge from it.

Ethics note: There’s a particular kind of imitation that goes beyond inspiration and repurposes not just ideas, but the thinking behind them. The concepts, the language, the phrasing, even the way of seeing, lifted out of their original context and applied elsewhere. THIS…it dilutes authorship, erodes distinction and quietly appropriates identity, the very thing a brand is built on.

Psychology note: Most copy because it’s safer than reaching out. Imitation avoids rejection, hides insecurity, and postpones the hard work of self-definition. Collaboration instead, forces vulnerability and creates something neither could do alone.

Final invitation: If my work sparks something in you, don’t replicate it. Email me instead. Pitch a collaboration. Ask for permission, context or critique. Let’s build together. You’ll go further beside me than behind my shadow.

…and the funny thing is that most of what’s currently trending isn’t even new. It has been around and used by ancient civilizations like in Greece, Rome, Turkey. And yet, it’s finding its way back to people who’ve tried endlessly to modernize medicine, health and long-term care for hundreds of years. Take thermal baths for example, who’s mineral-rich water pools and saunas are designed for relaxation, muscle recovery, detoxification, and illness healing, such as cancer. Yes, cancer.

What I adore about The Grotti Giusti:
▪ Originally uncovered by chance, the grotto has been used for therapeutic purposes since the 19th century (since 1849).
▪ An expansive subterranean space shaped by time itself (over 100-million years ago), offering a deeply immersive and elemental wellness experience.
▪ The cave functions as a naturally occurring steam room, with temperatures ranging from 28°C to 34°C across different chambers.
▪ Clinically recognized therapeutic benefits of mineral-rich waters known to support respiratory health, circulation, muscle relaxation, anti-inflammatory, etc.

Described historically as the “eighth wonder of the world” by composer Giuseppe Verdi…

…a rarity defined by what’s left untouched.

Yep, that’s ice cream, caviar, olive oil and sea salt sprinkled on top. Proof that original ideas are everywhere….

…if you know where and how to find them.