The Quality of Mindfulness Is to Know When We're Distracted and When Not?

The quality of mindfulness is to know when we're distracted and when we're not? As tokorgi tha, the great zoten mesta, called mindfulness the watchman of the mind. This brings up a few questions, actually. I have recently said in another podcast, that i felt like i didn't learn how to meditate until i sat my first ten day retreat. Can you comment on that it was that a common experience, to feel like it's not until you sit in tents of retreat that you really know what it is you're supposed to be doing?