Even being around other people can conform your thoughts to normal terms: get them back "on track", where your only choices are which track, which direction. It's not just the thoughts, but the terms, the dimensions.

I think a most fragile stage is when you've part-imagined a new track, and unclear if it's a good idea, if it works, even what it is. This can collapse like a house of card in the lightest breeze, a dream upon waking.

Human beings are automatically conformist - crucial for learning, language, custom, law, cooperation and trade, from the beginning - so it's good we need special circumstances for "creativity".