“Using patterns doesn’t make you less creative.”

If anything, it shows maturity. Many beginners think creativity means breaking the rules — changing a checkbox into a switch, or turning a single-select into a swipe. But creativity isn’t about tweaking what already works. It’s about knowing where to push boundaries, and where to stay consistent.

The real space for creativity lies in the macro.

You can reinvent the flow, the emotion, the use case, even the entire experience. But at the micro level — the way users select, scroll, or tap — don’t confuse disruption with innovation. These behaviors are deeply learned. When you change them casually, users get lost… and you lose trust.

Want to be creative? Master the boring stuff first.

Respect the patterns. Understand what they solve. Then use your energy to design bold features, unique narratives, or delightful systems — while keeping interactions intuitive. That’s how experienced designers innovate: not by rejecting patterns, but by building something new on top of them.