I play with other people a lot... just jamming and so forth. I'm a competetive person so if someone busts out a nasty lick and shows me up... that's all the motivation I need to come up with a lick twice as better as that one. I also find that always playing when I have a free moment keeps things moving through my head. I have a pretty big thirst for knowledge as well... if there's something I don't know I usually will go out and buy a book so I do know it.