Reference Librarian Training

So, I've recently begun training to be a student assistant at the reference desk in the USF library. I have always been attracted to library sciences because of the instant gratification I get from finding what I need. I love being about to answer queries and give the right resource to the right patron. I've realized that the vast majority of the information presented to me was based on refining one's searching abilities. There is an element of lateral thinking in searching, particularly in database searches, that is a little bit frightening to me because I doubt I would ever be able to espouse the level of creativity needed to search efficiently. I guess my problem comes from freezing up in the 'brain storming' part of query searching. As a result, I've tried to play little mind games with myself, like word association games or thesaurus (in which I try to come up with as many possible alternatives as possible) but this is still missing the mark. I think the answer to my problem is building some sort of 'idea tree' or developing some kind of 'theory of idea evolution.' I have to laugh a little bit here because whenever I become conscious of my own stream of thoughts, I'm baffled sometimes between the inane connections I make between different concepts. I can't think of an example right off the cuff but there have been times where I've started researching about one topic only to end up on a completely remote site just because of my own thought processes. I feel as though the thought process is intricately linked to one's memories because of this.
Anyway, the most important concept I learned today was to make use of the advanced search options in databases because a basic search can yield such disappointing results. You can take the same terms you used in a basic search and plug them into an advanced search and tinker with the parameters slightly and it will result in a completely different search. This is fascinating to me- it reminds me of a parable or axiom or anecdote (whichever term is correct, if any) about the fly trying to get outside. The fly keeps ramming his head against the glass to reach the outside world that he knows is so close. Seeing that his efforts result in naught, he tries harder, banging his head faster and harder. Still, he is trapped. If only he flew around the room, he would have discovered the open door behind him and would have been happily flying around in the world. In essence, one can keep ramming one's head into the wall, with the same unhelpful results or you can use your head and search smarter.
I have a tendency to over-analyze everything (or so I've been accused) and this simple improvement in search skills makes me look back on previous searches I have done that have been unhelpful or that failed in producing results. I worked from a skill set that I never stopped to question by evaluating their effectiveness. If I had, perhaps I would have invited a little innovation into my searches in order to define a higher quality skill set. And, of course, this make me think about how my search skills are a metaphor for how I live my life. I begin to wonder if there are other aspects of my life that I should stopped ramming my head into a wall over and start looking for the door. It was at that point that I realized that librarianship is about clarity. It hinges upon the belief that the answer is out there and that there is indeed a clear path to it.