Steve Jobs might have thought first time what personal computer would look like or even existed. Michelangelo would have imagined many statues before he started any sculpting work, like clay stammering or hammering marbles. As a result of deep-thinking and their super skill sets, a new or innovative invention came out as the large-sized computers of the 1980s or Ancient times Statues.
To put a fire to your imagination you must try by experiencing new ventures, then identification of patterns or artifacts models for modifying which you can imagine. But as we are so accustomed to the things, we fail to look at things in other ways.
Always we do not come across imagination, sometimes we have to ask questions by taking one step backward. Cognitive conflict can be an alternative: give some silly or mad reasons to imagine. Taking a handful of experiences, raw data facts we can increase our thinking capability by examining critically or playfully, we can empower and give a hike to our imaginations.