alt Hacker News> The issue usually is that its much more difficult to "notice it" if you are thinking about how to improve it.
Quite the contrary. It's the difference between active eating and passive eating. It is the active eater who appreciates what he is eating at the deepest level, being capable of recreating and modifying his food. It is the same with every endeavor.
I agree, but I may be talking about another level of "noticing". More about observing the act and being conscious about what is happening. Thats easier it you are not rationalizing it. If you are an expert on a topic to the point where it becomes second nature, then you probably again have it easier to enter into that state, which can be a door to great creativity. But you can also get lost in all of the details that take you away from the moment.