The first thing to understand about thinking is that "you" don't do the thinking. Thoughts spring up from the subconscious on their own, and you just observe them then accept or reject them. We're talking about those endless, seemingly uncontrollable, random thoughts that flit across the screen of your awareness every day. These are noisy thoughts like static electricity that we practice meditation to control and quiet. These thoughts are generally unproductive and non-creative because there's no purpose or meaning behind them. They're just a part of the landscape of a currently idle rather than a seeking or creative mind.