I really enjoyed reading Build Something Cool in 24 Hours. Basically, set aside a weekend with some peers and decide to make something new. You’ll likely be more motivated with others than you would alone and you’ll learn a lot in the process.
I cannot imagine a better, faster path to creativity, innovation, and most importantly getting something done!
Similarly, David St. Lawrence posted a third entry for Creative Time that describes the same thing on a more personal level.
Creative time is a period of outflow. Watching TV or listening to a lecture is inflow, as is reading, eating, and mindless vegging. There is a time and place for all of these activities, but creative outflow will give you more bang for your buck than any other activity you can think of.
Game in a Day was great for me because it allowed me to set aside a weekend to making a simple game, and I did it. Within 24 hours, I went from having nothing to having a creation of my own. It was very satisfying and I learned way more in that shortened period of time than I did in the two months since then. I think I need to schedule another one…