[saltcured]

I agree this is probably what was meant by "imaginative" in the original question. But, it doesn't directly address the core question of causality: does practicality limit imagination and lateral thinking? I think the answer is, "no". Practicality is largely in the domain of decisions and behavior. In contrast, imagination is in the domain of thought and speculation.

To not allow your imagination to run ahead of or independently of your behavior, to not allow yourself any mental play, is to be unimaginative. That's tautological. If you truly find yourself unable to imagine any outrageous ideas, you have to look elsewhere than pragmatism if seeking a cure. You need to rediscover how to play. In your head. Pragmatism is a filter to decide when to put some of your play ideas into practice, not a filter for thought itself.

There are different challenges someone else might face, requiring different analysis. What if you are able to come up with outrageous and lateral ideas, but are afraid to voice them? Or you are unable to ground the ideas in any kind of reality, i.e. pure fantasy rather than plausible-if-ridiculous? Or do you find challenges in the social environment of getting any air time for your ideas among your peers...?