We often forget that our interpretation of a text is influenced by our preexisting beliefs, knowledge and expectations.

Allow your initial understanding to change. If your first interpretation improved, it's a good sign of critical reading.

When practising critical reading, it is crucial to be aware of the context of the text.

To allow for the hermeneutic circle to be effective, re-read the text a few times or at least read the parts that are most interesting to you.