On a spring morning in 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral returned from a hunting trip with his dog, both covered in burrs. Rather than dismissing this annoyance, de Mestral examined the burrs under a microscope and discovered hundreds of tiny hooks that clung to fabric and fur. This observation sparked the invention of Velcro one of history’s most celebrated examples of learning through imitation (Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 2025).
“They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” the old adage goes. But it’s far more than that. Imitation represents humanity’s most powerful learning mechanism, the invisible force that has propelled civilizations forward since our ancestors first watched fire being created and thought, “I can do that too.”
Long before humans created the first textbooks or training manuals, nature had been perfecting designs through the ultimate teacher: evolution. Biomimicry the practice of learning from and mimicking natural strategies to solve human problems demonstrates how observation and imitation drive innovation.
Leonardo da Vinci applied biomimicry to the study of birds in the hopes of enabling human flight, making numerous notes and sketches of his observations that later inspired the Wright brothers. This centuries-spanning collaboration between observation, imitation, and iteration ultimately gave humanity the gift of aviation.
Modern examples abound. The Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, uses no conventional air-conditioning or heating, yet stays regulated year-round by mimicking termite mound ventilation systems. The innovative building consumes 10 percent less energy than conventionally designed structures of the same size.
Similarly, Japanese engineers solved the problem of bullet trains creating deafening sonic booms when exiting tunnels by studying the kingfisher’s beak, which slices through water without creating a splash. The solution wasn’t invented from scratch it was observed, understood, and adapted.
Biomimicry teaches us a crucial lesson about imitation: it’s not about blind copying. Janine Benyus, biologist and co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, coined the term to urge us to move beyond simply extracting from nature. Instead, we must observe patterns, understand underlying principles, and adapt them to our unique contexts.
Consider how Harvard researchers studying humpback whale flippers discovered that bumpy tubercles allow these massive creatures to achieve attack angles up to 40 percent steeper than smooth flippers. Tests using model flippers determined these biomimetic designs reduced drag by nearly a third and improved lift by eight percent. The whales didn’t design these flippers through conscious thought evolution iterated over millions of years until the design worked. We simply observed and adapted.
Walk into any bookstore and you’ll find dozens of titles promising to reveal “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” or “Morning Routines of Millionaires.” We’re obsessed with decoding the patterns of successful individuals, believing that if we can just replicate their habits, we too will achieve greatness.
But there’s a paradox here. Derek Sivers, author of Anything You Want, observed: “Notice how we all assume that when you say ‘become successful’ you really mean ‘get rich'”. We conflate correlation with causation, assuming that because a successful person wakes at 5 AM, waking early causes success.
Human beings were hardwired to learn through imitation, with recent science showing that the brain has special mirror neurons designed to aid in learning through imitation. This biological predisposition explains why we’re so drawn to modeling others it’s literally built into our neural architecture.
To successfully imitate someone, we must focus on three areas: how they think (their thinking strategies for solving problems), their emotional state (the feelings they associate with activities), and what they actually do (visible behaviors).
This is where most “success habit” articles fail. They focus exclusively on the visible behaviors the morning routines, the productivity apps, the dietary choices while ignoring the underlying mental frameworks and emotional states that make those behaviors effective.
Research supports a more nuanced approach. Studies show that people learn both from their own experience and by imitating successful others, but individual learning displays systematic biases against ideal models. We need to observe not just what successful people do, but understand the context, the thinking patterns, and the adaptations they made for their unique circumstances.
Understanding how habits form reveals why imitation is so powerful and why it requires patience. Research tracking 96 volunteers who chose a behavior to perform daily for 12 weeks found that the time it took participants to reach 95% of their automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days. There’s no magic “21 days to form a habit” rule it varies dramatically based on the person, the behavior, and consistency of practice.
This finding has profound implications for imitation. When we observe someone’s seemingly effortless habit, we’re seeing the end result of potentially months of deliberate practice. Performing the behavior more consistently was associated with better habit formation. The secret isn’t in the habit itself it’s in the consistent repetition that makes it automatic.
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” Mark Twain supposedly said. This aphorism captures a profound truth: while specific events may differ, human nature remains remarkably consistent across centuries.
Machiavelli saw human nature as remarkably stable steady enough for the formulation of rules of political behavior, writing in his Discorsi that by diligent study of the past, one can foresee what is likely to happen in the future and apply remedies used by the ancients.
This isn’t about determinism or fatalism. It’s about recognizing patterns. Political leaders may repeat mistakes made during past conflicts when they fail to recognize historical patterns, and economic actors might engage in risky investments reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis if they overlook warning signs.
But here’s the crucial insight: Simply making available a specific “lesson” involving a particular causal claim about the past can change expectations regarding the future, because the perceived causal relation in the source is analogically transferred to the target.
History becomes a teacher when we actively study it, looking for causal patterns rather than just memorizing dates and events. Those who came before us weren’t fundamentally different they faced challenges, asked similar questions, and developed solutions. Some worked; others failed spectacularly. Both outcomes provide insights.
Understanding the patterns and trends that have led to both success and failure in the past can provide us with tools to make more informed decisions. This is why studying history isn’t about the past it’s about developing pattern recognition for the present and future.
George Santayana famously observed: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. Yet we see this playing out repeatedly. The economic policies that led to the Great Depression in the 1930s reflect decisions made during the 2008 financial crisis, with both periods featuring excessive risk-taking and lack of regulation.
Why do we forget? Societies or individuals often fail to learn from past mistakes due to factors like lack of awareness, inadequate education, or disregard for the relevance of historical events. We assume “this time is different” or that modern circumstances make historical lessons irrelevant.
But as Hegel supposedly quipped: “We learn from history that we do not learn from history”. Breaking this cycle requires intentional study and humble recognition that we’re not as unique as we think.
Learning through observation seems simple: watch someone do something, then do it yourself. But effective observation is far more complex and powerful than simple mimicry.
People are more likely to imitate behaviors that are rewarded and avoid those that lead to negative outcomes, a process known as vicarious reinforcement learning by observing the consequences of others’ actions.
This means effective observers watch for three layers:
Within certain indigenous communities, people do not typically seek out explanations beyond basic observation because they are competent in learning through astute observation. In a Guatemalan footloom factory, amateur adult weavers observed skilled weavers over weeks without questioning or being given explanations, moving at their own pace and beginning when they felt confident.
Bandura’s research identified four processes influencing observational learning: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation.
Attention: The first stage requires learners to pay attention to the model, influenced by factors such as how the model stands apart, the complexity of observed behavior, interest in the activity, and ability to focus. We can’t learn what we don’t notice.
Retention: Once behavior has been observed, you must remember what you saw, involving cognitive processes of storing and recalling information through mental images or verbal descriptions.
Reproduction: Producing a new behavior can require hours of practice to obtain the necessary skills. Observation provides the template, but skill development requires deliberate practice.
Motivation: For observational learning to have the greatest benefits, you must be motivated to copy the observed behavior, with motivation coming from wanting to achieve the same results as the model, internal satisfaction, or desire to avoid negative outcomes.
The most powerful observers don’t just watch the obvious. They look for:
Bandura’s famous Bobo doll experiment showed that children didn’t just copy specific behaviors they had seen; they also created new forms of aggressive behavior, demonstrating that observational learning goes beyond mere imitation to include creative adaptation.
This is the key insight: expert observation involves understanding principles and patterns, not just memorizing actions. When you grasp the underlying logic, you can adapt it to new situations rather than robotically replicating what you saw.
Not all models are created equal. Bandura proposed that humans are likely to pay attention to behaviors of models that are high-status, talented, intelligent, or similar to the learner in some way.
But don’t limit yourself to obvious success stories. Using an unskilled model, sometimes called a learning model, allows you to learn from both mistakes and success rather than just perfect execution. Watching someone struggle and improve often teaches more than watching effortless expertise.
Consider multiple models across different domains:
1. Direct mentors: People you can interact with and question
2. Historical figures: Those whose documented lives provide rich case studies
3. Parallel peers: People at your level working toward similar goals
4. Nature’s designs: Biological systems that have solved similar problems
Passive watching rarely leads to learning. Active observation requires:
1. Identify the core principle: What fundamental insight makes this approach work?
2. Note the context: Under what conditions is this strategy effective?
3. Watch for edge cases: When does the approach fail or struggle?
4. Document patterns: Keep an observation journal tracking what you notice
5. Ask questions: If possible, interview your models about their thinking
This is where most people fail. They try to wholesale copy someone else’s approach without adaptation to their unique situation.
Success doesn’t happen by imitating others no matter how many habits of successful people you might have, it doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t adapted them to your context.
Ask yourself:
1. What aspects of this approach align with my strengths?
2. What needs to be modified for my circumstances?
3. What underlying principles can I extract and apply differently?
4. What parts of this simply won’t work for me?
Biomimicry didn’t give us Velcro overnight. George de Mestral observed burrs in 1941, studied them under magnification, and developed his invention over years. The Wright brothers studied birds for years before achieving powered flight.
Your imitation-learning journey requires:
1. Initial attempts: Try the approach, expecting imperfection
2. Feedback loops: Actively assess what’s working and what isn’t
3. Incremental adjustments: Make small modifications based on results
4. Persistence through failure: Remember, habit formation takes 18-254 days
5. Evolution over time: Your approach should continuously improve
Once you’ve successfully adapted an approach, you become a model for others. We learn by observing how other people behave and seeing the consequences of their behavior. By sharing your journey including failures and adjustments you create learning opportunities for others.
This creates a positive feedback loop where knowledge compounds across individuals and generations.
Standing on the shoulders of giants isn’t about diminishing our own achievements it’s about recognizing that progress is collective and cumulative. Every innovation builds on observations of what came before, whether from nature’s designs, historical precedents, or contemporary models.
The most successful individuals, organizations, and civilizations aren’t those who reinvent every wheel. They’re the ones who observe carefully, imitate strategically, adapt thoughtfully, and iterate relentlessly.
Biomimicry reveals that nature is not just a resource it’s a mentor. So too are the people around us, the historical figures who faced similar challenges, and the patterns that persist across time.
The question isn’t whether to imitate our mirror neurons ensure we’re doing it constantly, consciously or not. The question is whether we’ll do it intentionally, thoughtfully, and with the creativity to make each imitation uniquely our own.
As you move forward, remember: observation is a skill, imitation is a tool, and adaptation is an art. Master all three, and you’ll find that progress becomes not just possible, but inevitable.
Effective imitation involves understanding why something works, not just what to do. Ask yourself: “Can I explain the underlying principle to someone else? Can I adapt this approach to a different situation?” If yes, you’re learning principles. If no, you’re copying mechanically.
Research shows habit formation can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days (my oponion 66 days) to reach automaticity, depending on the behavior and individual consistency. Focus on consistent daily practice rather than expecting overnight transformation.
Multiple models are generally more effective. Exposure to diverse, positive role models is important because the behaviors, attitudes, and values we observe become integrated into our own behavioral repertoire. Create your own synthesis rather than becoming a clone.
While history may repeat itself, it is not inevitable by studying the past, we can learn valuable lessons that help us navigate present challenges. Focus on pattern recognition and underlying causes rather than assuming exact repetition.
In work settings, employees often acquire skills by shadowing and imitating experienced colleagues, building confidence as they see effective techniques modeled. Create formal mentorship programs, encourage job shadowing, and celebrate both successes and well-documented failures as learning opportunities.
Imitation of successful others may decrease biases that occur in individual learning. The conflict itself is valuable data it suggests the path to success isn’t singular. Experiment with both approaches and discover what works for your situation.
Imitation is the starting point, not the destination. Observational learning goes beyond mere imitation to include creative adaptation of observed behaviors. As you adapt approaches to your context, you develop your unique expression.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (2025). Biomimicry is real world inspiration. Available at: https://carnegiemnh.org/biomimicry-is-real-world-inspiration/
Foroux, D. (2020). Stop imitating the habits of successful people: It’s killing you. Darius Foroux. Available at: https://dariusforoux.com/stop-imitating-habits-successful-people/
Learn Biomimicry. (2025). The best 50 biomimicry examples and inventions of all time. Available at: https://www.learnbiomimicry.com/blog/best-biomimicry-examples
One Earth. (2025). What is biomimicry? Five groundbreaking designs inspired by nature. Available at: https://www.oneearth.org/what-is-biomimicry/
Science Focus. (2022). Biomimetic design: 10 examples of nature inspiring technology. BBC Science Focus Magazine. Available at: https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/biomimetic-design-10-examples-of-nature-inspiring-technology
The Biomimicry Institute. (2025). What is biomimicry. Available at: https://biomimicry.org/inspiration/what-is-biomimicry/
Young, S. H. (2007). Imitate your way to success – Introduction. Scott H Young. Available at: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2007/02/23/imitate-your-way-to-success-introduction/
Notion Elevation. (2025). 10 best free Notion templates for productivity. Available at: https://notionelevation.com/10-best-free-notion-templates-for-productivity/
Have you ever opened an app and felt instantly lost or distracted? Productive Design. The way something is designed isn't…
Notion Template vs Template Bundles: This guide breaks down everything you need to know to make the right decision for…
When it comes to organizing your life and business, Notion template bundles offer exceptional value compared to purchasing individual templates.
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, to be creativie isn't just a nice-to-have skill it's essential. This guide will help unlock…
Discover 5 proven strategies to boost productivity under pressure. Learn to prioritize, decide faster, stay calm, and work smarter when…
Downsizing Your Productivity Stack Without Losing Your Mind We've all been there. You wake up, check your task manager, flip…