Tips for Half Life Map Making?

So i've recently started doing a perhaps slightly too over-ambitious map project which also happens to be my first map and i find that the majority of my time is spent on searching for tutorials or just googling the answers to my questions(which can become very boring after a while!).

I know that both Miigga and darrenweekes browse this subreddit so i was wondering if you guys could perhaps point out some super-secret techniques that you guys have learned to improve during your time as mappers. Also, is there anything in particular that inspires you to be as creative as possible in your maps? Ofcourse anyone is free to give advice :).

Thanks!