What does it mean that record observations before conclusions?

Write down what you observed before writing what you think it means.

Example: After a tense meeting, you write: 'The VP interrupted the presenter three times. Two people looked at their phones. The presenter's voice got quieter after the second interruption.' That's observation. 'The VP doesn't respect the presenter' is conclusion. Record the first set completely before you allow yourself to write the second.

Try this: Choose one event from today — a conversation, a meeting, something you read. Open a blank page and draw a vertical line down the middle. Label the left column 'I observed' and the right column 'I interpreted.' Fill the left column first, writing only sensory-level facts: what was said, what happened, what you saw. Only after exhausting the left column, move to the right. Notice how many different interpretations the same observations can support.