The Aimless Whims of Terrestrial Consciousness

I had the good fortune to go to TED a couple of years ago. I recall meeting Bill Gates out in the hallway and had a chance to ask a question or two. Unfortunately I didn’t get to ask him what I’ve always wondered most:

How do you decide what to think about?

As I wandered around TED, I would periodically see one of these alien mind vessels standing alone somewhere. Presumably, during this time, they would be thinking about something. Pondering some idea or question in their brief moment of solitude. What I wonder is: for people of this level of intellectual caliber, what system do they employ to determine how to best spend their mental energy?

They have to have thought about it right? The output of their mind is too important to trust to the aimless whims of terrestrial consciousness.