Pushing the limits

I was having a conversation with Garrett Dimon the other day via IM. We were discussing the whole design and inspiration subject. While it's one thing to allow another design to inspire your design, it's quite another thing to allow that other design to influence your design. I use the analogy of music. It all has its roots somewhere. However, if I listen to a guitar track by Steve Vai, I can distinguish it from, say, Jimi Hendrix or even his teacher, Joe Satriani. A good design, while its roots may be distinguishable, should resemble it's own unique style.

I think we all should spend a little more timing pushing the limits, just to test what we have come to know as de facto. We all need to take a risk every once in a while and challenge ourselves, because if we don't, well, then we are no better off than were we were yesterday. (Via Digital Web Magazine)