Inspiration comes in fits and spurts. The main cause of that is because ideas happen when different hunches or problems I have meet interesting opportunities or

Inspiration comes in fits and spurts. The main cause of that is because ideas happen when different hunches or problems I have meet interesting opportunities or enabling circumstances. When that happens I get an idea and I work on it. I find ways to maximize my exposure to new ideas. I read novels, poetry, and plays. I read humanities-focused introductions to new areas of maths that I haven't yet explored or histories on the maths-related discoveries that I had no previous exposure to. I then dig in deeper to subject matter that I find interesting or am curious about... or are fundamental. I play quite a lot and make one-off programs that have no function or purpose; often inspired by phenomenon I've read about. I keep journals of my explorations so that I can recount the threads that led me to particular ways of thinking and see where I am missing out: I then seek out the gaps. I meet new people in different fields and have no shame interrogating them about their ideas, passions, and inspirations. Sometimes you just need to stand on a desk. Update: I have the advantage, now, that most of the CS fundamentals have been burned into my brain and I have a lot of experience writing software... it's almost reflexive now.