Active insights happen after a stiff mug of coffee, and a conversational rant. I'm often excited, and shooting out tangential thoughts related to a central topic of conversation. It feels productive, and I ride the manic wave of genius -- only to realize, I'm just talking, and probably not nearly as effectively as I imagined. 

Passive Insights come in moments of clarity. 

In a dream, or while going for a walk. Passive insights can be subtle, and contain hidden gold -- or they can be obvious and simple -- So much so that the insights are not followed with action.

I feel most productive when experience passive insights, and take active, directed action based on those insights. 

While manic coffee ideation, with no follow-through can be enjoyable -- it is also exhausting, and comparatively fruitless.