Where does creative inspiration come from? Dreams? Brain storming? Pictures and stories? Sure. I find mowing the lawn provides a level of focus for me. Maybe it the repetitive action. If I listen to the radio driving to or from work, I tend to ingest words passively. That said, if the radio is on topic I perk up and it feeds the creative motor.
In the ad agency business, I had seen lots of good creative people flip through art direction magazines and awards books looking for ideas to have an idea. But often they did so in their office. I’m a fan of getting out of the building. Observing the target. Observing the target’s target. Trying to think like they think, or better, feel what they feel.
Creative inspiration results from immersion in the target, dabbling in sights, seeing or projecting patterns… and monitoring your blood pressure. If an idea makes you feel something, you are nearing the zone. If it bores you push on.
I was writing a college paper once while on a field trip to see Margaret Mead speak in DC. I was sitting in someone’s kitchen and not moving any ideas. There was a speed bag in the kitchen so I starter punching. It wore me out but opened the mind. Sitting in chairs is not the way toward creative stim. Peace!