Likewise, Mr. Cowan says that he tries to "build a big fence" around his first work hour in the morning at 7 a.m. to clear his thoughts, catch up on reading and manage email.

WSJ: Where's the Boss? Trapped in a Meeting

But the public are making their thoughts very clear.

FORBES: BBC iPlayer Needs To Be Given More Space To Continue Growing

They can happen in the middle of the day, night, or even during a traffic jam, the "aha" or "light bulb" moments in our lives--those thoughts of clear brilliance where the proverbial light bulb appears over our head.

FORBES

But two races that I would say that it's clear that the Republicans are having second thoughts about is Conrad Burns, the senator in Montana, and Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island.

NPR: Democrats on Offense as Elections Approach

And yet what stands out in his latest thoughts on philanthropy is a clear signal that big problems require innovative solutions, and to do that, you have to do it full time.

FORBES: Ebay's Billionaire Founder Knocks Part-Timing Philanthropy

She had trained for enough emergencies to know that beneath almost every sort of raging anxiety there was a calm pocket, a perfect little vacuum in which both thoughts and actions were crisp and clear.

NPR: In 'Challenger Park,' Mom Is an Astronaut

His thoughts lined up, his plan was orderly and clear: he needed to be that someone.

NEWYORKER: Max at Sea

Tight budgets and clear objectives are all very well if you are trying to make money, they say, but thinking great thoughts and sharing them with the young is a different business.

ECONOMIST: Britain's oldest university wrestles with modernisation