I can't say I've noticed much of a difference in my professional life. As I've gotten older and gained more experience, my mental toolbox has increased in size

I can't say I've noticed much of a difference in my professional life. As I've gotten older and gained more experience, my mental toolbox has increased in size and refined in quality. This leads to more solutions being clear from the get-go than when I was younger. But when nothing comes to mind up front? If anything, I feel that my ability to sort the 'hey, that just might work!' wheat from the fanciful chaff is sharper than before. That doesn't mean I can force it, and I think this point is important enough to emphasize- if I hit a block on an obvious next step, I stop and go for a walk. Listen to music, hang out with my dogs. Maybe play with a recipe in the kitchen, or create a new belt hell-world in Factorio. Let your 'default mode' network ruminate and digest. Nine times out of ten by the next day I've discovered a new approach to work with.