If your character took time to reflect about the things she’s done, what would she think about those decisions? Would she be pleased or would she wish she had done things differently?

Self-reflection should be an important part of your protagonist’s life. If he chose to act in a certain way and it backfired, without self-reflection he might continue along the same path, making the same incorrect choices over and over, never learning from his experiences.

Your task is to choose one of your characters to analyze. Make a list of decisions that the character has already faced or will soon face. Next to each decision, record how it panned out for him.

If every decision works out for the best, ask yourself if this reflects real life situations. Unless she is particularly prescient, I seriously doubt that all decisions end up with positive outcomes.

The next step is to consider what lessons the character takes from each decision made. Self-reflection should be a huge part of this step. How can you show her thought processes?

This will not be an easy task, but it will give you insight into the inner makings of your character.

Have fun with this one.