I just finished one of the best books I ever read Where Good Ideas Come From 

The last paragraph from the book:

„The patterns are simple, but followed together, they make for a whole that is wiser than the sum of its parts.

Go for a walk; cultivate hunches; write everything down, but keep your folders messy; embrance serendipity; make generative mistakes; take on multiple hobbies; frequent coffeehouses and other liquid networks; follow the links; let others build on your ideas; borrow, recycle, reinvent. Build a tangled bank.”

For more ideas and explenations read rest of the book. Or enjoy Ted talk of the author: