[Declanomous]

> I like to think the key's not complete thoughtlessness, but rather an appreciation of the vastness the field without caring too much about any one part of it. Which is a bit wishy-washy, but forms a good basis.

It's definitely a hard thing to describe, but I think you are doing a pretty good job of articulating it. It's kind of like meditation, in the sense that you need to approach it in a very structured way with an open/empty mind.

It's why Bayesian methods are so effective for searching. You first imagine all of the possibilities, and then you search for evidence that either supports or refutes them. If you are in an area and you have searched everywhere and you are convinced it is in that area, you need to consider the fact that it isn't in that area and to move on.

I can't tell you how many times I've been looking for a disc at a certain distance, thinking "it couldn't be any farther up, I can't throw that far" (or vice versa), only to walk 25 feet farther up and find my disc. Preconceived notions are the enemy of a successful search.