A common trait among creatives and would-be entrepreneurs is a feeling of unworthiness. We look at our sketches or novel outline or business idea and think, “What’s the point. I can’t make a difference. It’s all been done before.”

We think we have nothing worth saying or at the very least nothing new to add that hasn’t already been done before.

And to a degree, this is true.

But that is not what is important. What is important is casting more light on the world, even if our light closely resembles that of someone else.

We all go through a learning curve and we are all at different points on our pathway through life. In the beginning it is okay to lean on the shoulders of others until we are able to stand on our own. It is perfectly fine to reconfigure, regurgitate, and repurpose what you see and hear—so long as you give proper credit where credit is due—until you find your voice.

In college, my design professors encouraged us to copy and mimic our artistic heroes. To grow and learn from them until our style—our personal artistic voice—emerged.

You unique voice can be a light to the world. Our world can feel like a dark, cruel, and unrelenting place sometimes. If we focus on this darkness, it will weigh us down, weaken our resolve to follow our dreams, and, eventually, crush our souls.

Don’t let that happen. Don’t give in to the noise and the voices that would tell you that what you do won’t matter. To paraphrase a line from The Help, you are kind, you are smart, you are important.

We need your art. We need your voice. We need your innovative product and life-changing services. We need (and value) your unique perspective.

We need your light. Shine bright.