What to do before performing any activity?

To get the maximum benefit from the activity and make it a fulfilling endeavor, it is very important to do a few things:

1. Take a step back and try to see the activity from a wholesome point of view. Many times, one goes so deep into the nitty-gritty of the act or is so restless that one jumps quickly into the doer mode.
2. From this view, take note of what all things can be learned from it. The learnings can be in a very remote domain from the act itself - learning new vocabulary, learning about a new domain, learning to network/connect with people, etc. One needs to be earnest and sincere in figuring out the learnings that can be gathered.

After performing these steps, the act of doing the activity is more fruitful and becomes a conscious endeavor to improve oneself.