not an original thought in my head

I have started writing articles that eventually I will submit to sites and magazines to see if I can get them published. However, i’ve recently come to the conclusion that I am incapable of original thought as I keep finding articles which summarise exactly what I was thinking, only better written and already out there either on a blog or in a magazine.This also happens in design – I start coming up with a design then spot it somewhere else.

If I had a complex paranoid egotistical, “delusions of grandeur” style mental deficiency I would assume that the design or article has been nicked from me – somehow the author hacked into my PC (or pehaps mind) and took my work. Ok, this does flash through my mind, but is quickly subdued by the other rational, sensible and humble part of my mind.

I also know that I haven’t stolen the design or idea directly from them, but what usually has happened is that I have reached the same or similar conclusion as the author in question, possibly because they have been consuming the same designs, articles, sights, culture and conversations that led my unoriginal brain to start producing the material in the first place.

I’m sure I could find an article somewhere which describes exactly the above. Please move along, nothing to see here, nothing you haven’t seen before anyway….