A painting is like a ton of little decisions as you proceed. I would think that you had gotten some of the right answers for you to jump over those questions to take it more assuredly toward completion. So, it would seem to me that you had in fact grown from doing it the first time.
Even in the event that one paints a weaker version the second time compared with the first, you are still in the period of answering questions. I should think that's what makes painting to answer questions dynamic. And of course painting when you have good answers and a better painting -- that's always very satisfying.
But don't discount the questions because those questions got you there regardless of which version you're doing.
What you've showed is quite nice! Good stuff.
"Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream