Persistence and variety. These are the two primary ways to develop great ideas or solve important problems

Keep leaning your head against a topic for a long time. Certainly for weeks, possibly for years. And along the way, try many lines of attack. Continue to generate options, explore paths, and propose silly ideas. Copy and paste concepts from widely different disciplines and see if it gets you anywhere. All the while, continue to refine the best solution you’ve found thus far.

What looks like genius may simply be the byproduct of persistence and variety.