Do This After You Create

Last week we talked about ​how to prepare​ before a Creative Deep Work session. It’s just as important to take time at the end of a session to reflect. ​To finish well​.

Think of your reflections as feedback, not judgment. How did things go? What can be improved?

Asking the question “where did I fail today?” is a supremely hopeful question. If you don’t identify where you’ve faltered, you are more likely to fall into the same trap in the future.

If you want to get better faster, start reflecting on your work every day.

Here are four questions you can ask at the end of each session.

(It bears repeating: this is feedback, not judgment. Think of it as a diagnostic.)

Question 1: How far did you get on your session goal? (Be honest.)

Think about what you intended to accomplish during your session. How close did you get?

It’s okay to be honest here.

Did you only accomplish 10% of the goal that you set for yourself? Use that feedback to set a better goal tomorrow.

If you are routinely achieving your goals early in the session, you might need to push yourself more.

Question 2: What went well during the session? (You gotta chalk up the good ones.)

It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the benefits of your creative habits. Meditate on the bright spots, and they will increase.

This step is great for building momentum on your creative projects.

The next time someone asks you how your work is going, don’t self deprecate. Share a bright spot instead.

Question 3: What can I do better next time? (Constructive thoughts only.)

The goal is to get incrementally better. Review what didn’t go well during your session, with an eye toward improvement.

Were you distracted? Maybe you decide that next time you will turn on Focus Mode and leave your phone in a different room while you create.

Remember—only constructive thoughts here. There is no room for self shaming in a healthy creative practice.

Question 4: What is the biggest problem I need to solve next? (Be specific.)

Finally, ask yourself what is the biggest problem you need to solve to move your project forward. Alternatively, define what is the most important question you need to answer.

For screenwriters, this could be that you need to figure out what obstacles you are going to throw in front of your protagonist in Act 2.

For writers, this could be that you need to find a good example to use to make your point in the first section of chapter 7.

For artists, maybe you need to figure out the compositional concept of a visual arts project.

If you can be clear about the next problem you need to solve, your ​unconscious mind​ will be working in the background on a solution between sessions. But this won’t happen if you don’t clearly define the problem for yourself.

It’s so easy to convince ourselves that we don’t have the time to reflect on our work. I have another appointment to get to. I want to use every last minute for creating, for “doing the work.”

But all it takes to get the benefits of reflecting is five minutes at the end of a session. And it will make a significant difference for your progress and sense of momentum over time.