"If you agree with Cleese's premise, I think it follows that what you need is motivation for the open mode (the blue sky, blank sheet of paper period), and discipline for the closed mode where you put your head down and get the work done."
I have been doing Learning how to learn at Coursera[1]. There is actually term for this 'blue sky' thinking mode, it is called the diffuse mode.
In the course they call it the diffuse mode, you can also be in the focused mode.
In the focused mode you tend to see all the details, though its difficult to get insights in this mode. Your thinking and problem solving is constrained by your natural thinking patterns and heuristics. This mode is really good when solving problems you have seen before.
In the diffuse mode, you gain new insights/discoveries by linking up different bits and pieces.
Having said that:
"If you agree with Cleese's premise, I think it follows that what you need is motivation for the open mode"
I do not understand this logic, can you clarify?
My reading of the article after having done the course is:
You can be disciplined and still do this blue sky/diffuse mode thinking, i do not think they are mutually exclusive.
I have been doing Learning how to learn at Coursera[1]. There is actually term for this 'blue sky' thinking mode, it is called the diffuse mode.
In the course they call it the diffuse mode, you can also be in the focused mode.
In the focused mode you tend to see all the details, though its difficult to get insights in this mode. Your thinking and problem solving is constrained by your natural thinking patterns and heuristics. This mode is really good when solving problems you have seen before.
In the diffuse mode, you gain new insights/discoveries by linking up different bits and pieces.
Having said that:
"If you agree with Cleese's premise, I think it follows that what you need is motivation for the open mode"
I do not understand this logic, can you clarify?
My reading of the article after having done the course is:
You can be disciplined and still do this blue sky/diffuse mode thinking, i do not think they are mutually exclusive.
[1] https://www.coursera.org/course/learning
* Edit: Added more details on thinking mode, and link to course