Creative Stimulus
Creative stimulus and inspiration are different. Inspiration comes on at a random moment, spurring a thought that can be disconnected from the thought at hand. Creative stimulus is intentionally seeking out inputs to spur those creative ideas.
Inspiration is passive. Creative stimulus is active.
Types of Creative Stimulus
Conversations
Onboard the Sully, a ship headed to New York, a conversation happened after dinner. Thomas Jackson, a geologist, and Samuel Morse, an artist, talked about the latest discoveries in electro-magnetism. One of the passengers asked if an electric current could flow down a long wire without being disturbed. Jackson said of course because Benjamin Franklin showed it could go as far as you wanted very fast. A lightbulb moment. Morse had the idea: "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any desired part of the circuit I see no reason why intelligence might not be transmitted instantaneously by electricity." From this conversation Morse code was born. Bringing instant communication to anyone from around the world.