1. Look at problems in many different ways, and find new perspectives that no one else has taken (or no one else has publicized!)
2. Visualize!
3. Produce! A distinguishing characteristic of genius is productivity.
4. Make novel combinations. Combine, and recombine, ideas, images, and thoughts into different combinations no matter how incongruent or unusual.
5. Form relationships; make connections between dissimilar subjects.
6. Think in opposites.
7. Think metaphorically.
8. Prepare yourself for chance.

Whenever we attempt to do something and fail, we end up doing something else. That is the first principle of creative accident. Failure can be productive only if we do not focus on it as an unproductive result. Instead: analyze the process, its components, and how you can change them, to arrive at other results. Do not ask the question "Why have I failed?", but rather "What have I done?"[\quote]

PG, if this interesting piece doesn't get a justifiably expected response, it's because it's been clipped at least once, I think twice, before. Not to imply that you shouldn't clip it for yourself, just FY411

one thing i definitely do is speak metaphorically and use tons of anologies. scary thing is that i think many of them make no sense to anyone but me

my most common analogies relate in some way to sports.

You should try some out on us sometime, Eric.

Fret not about making no sense to anyone but yourself, I have vast experience with this and assure you that it's painless.