What to focus on and how to improve

I'm simply starting this thread because many times I go out and shoot and I find myself not coming back with much. There are a few reasons for this, but one of the main ones is that I can see the end result of how a shot will look, and if it isn't a "show piece" (I don't mean show case, I simply mean, showing it in public areas), then I tend not to take that picture(s).

One of the disciplines I have been putting myself through lately is to find that shot that I would normally not think twice about. I have made this part of my routine lately. In all honesty, I have not gotten a huge hit rate by doing this excersize, but I have noticed that I am coming back with a little more material.

Another thing I have been trying to do (unsuccessfully I may add) is to focus on taking a "documentary" shot of items such as statues info, animals description plaques (if at zoos) and so on. Many times I get home and have a great piece, such as this one:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8747/...a93865de_c.jpg
Sun grazing statue portrait by rickztahone, on Flickr

but I have no idea who made the piece, what its name by be (if it is named by artist). This is bad two-fold, I lose out on knowing the bio/info behind the piece, and 2, the artist isn't given due credit.

So, my goal for this thread is simply a reminder to myself, and an invitation to you all, to state some of the things that you may routinely forget to do but have been kicking yourself to do more often when out taking photos.

In the beginning, I remember I use to go out and my main goal was simply composition. It could be the most uninteresting object, but I would compose it in a way that was pleasing to the eye (my eye). This trained me early on to focus on overall composition, and now I do it almost second nature.

these techniques help your brain make these short term excersizes in to long term memories that become second nature down the line. Practice makes perfect? Well, maybe not perfect, but practice does make you a better photographer, if your goal is to keep learning.