Be an Original

If you’re inspired by someone to create something similar then tag them as inspiration. It feels good to inspire, it does not feel good to be copied. If you don’t want them to see it, then you likely shouldn’t post it.

Do your best to honor people’s work. Tag the makers, credit the photographers, shout out the people that helped make it happen. If you forget then edit it to add or add a comment with that. No big deal, we all miss stuff occasionally. But your followers will know that it was unintentional if you set the standard that you always try to do your best with that.

Don’t start something just because you can and someone else is making money doing it. Start something because you’re passionate about it, because you would do it for free, because you eat, sleep, breathe it.

Take ownership. If you mess up own it, apologize and move on. Mistakes happen, but if it’s pointed out to you then do your best to set the record straight, credit appropriately, and make amends. Integrity matters whether you have 10 followers or 10,000 or 100,000. Be a good human.

Lastly, if you’re going to be ashamed of it… then sure as shit, don’t put it online. Those Instagram detectives will have it screen shot’d and sent off before you can hit delete. And it lives forever on the internet.