Cross-posting from other thread but: I have some friends who found inspiration through "The Artist's Way" (some of the exercises, very internal, not easy to do, challenging)
"The Artist's Way is a workbook for anyone who is creative, feels blocked in their creativity or wishes that they were more creative. The book begins with the statement that everyone is creative and has an artist within them, and the point of this course is to recover that inner artist. It is divided into a twelve-week course, with assignments much like any semester-long college class."
Week 1
"This week initiates your creative recovery. You may feel both giddy and defiant, hopeful and skeptical. The focus of establishing a sense of safety will "enable you to explore your creativity with less fear."
Some of the disciplines she takes you through are tough but rewarding. One of my favorites is writing three pages in a journal per day. At the time it was tough, but it really helped to connect my head with my heart.
The book is very good and well worth buying. I'd also recommend the War of Art by Pressman. Both of these books are great for cultivating creativity in a systematic way.
I also bought this book on Mann's recommendation. It was very good and thorough. Tharp is a genius and she really helped me focus my creativity more. I highly recommend this book, especially for us who are very left brained.
His card decks (Creative Whack Pack, Innovative Whack Pack and Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus) are also very useful for breaking bad habits, generating ideas, divergent thinking etc. somewhat like Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies cards,which I recommend (http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/)
EDIT: I'd also recommend Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain "http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Right-Side-Brain-Organized/... for tips on how creative types organize their workspaces. Handy if you're right brained, a pack rat, like "messy" workspaces or dislike the anal-retentiveness of Getting Things Done.
This book was just recommended to me by a software consultant who has a new start-up business. I mention it because there was just another HN thread that asked if creativity can be developed, which is what this author thinks.
"The Artist's Way is a workbook for anyone who is creative, feels blocked in their creativity or wishes that they were more creative. The book begins with the statement that everyone is creative and has an artist within them, and the point of this course is to recover that inner artist. It is divided into a twelve-week course, with assignments much like any semester-long college class."
Week 1
"This week initiates your creative recovery. You may feel both giddy and defiant, hopeful and skeptical. The focus of establishing a sense of safety will "enable you to explore your creativity with less fear."
http://www.theartistsway.com/
http://paperartstudio.tripod.com/artistsway/