journaling
Write before you feel
The rule
Write down your decision before the feeling arrives, so tomorrow's mood cannot rewrite today's facts. Like noting a price before you start bargaining.
Where it flips
But writing can turn into empty paperwork. If the note is long yet has no clear rule to act on, it may comfort you without protecting your money.
This journal is not a diary of feelings. It is a dated record: your reason for the choice, the other options, what proof would change your mind, and the limit on your action before stress hits.
A worked example
A written note says the reason breaks if unpaid customer bills keep rising for two more quarters. When the bad quarter comes, you do not have to find discipline from nowhere.
How to spot it
- ·date
- ·the reason
- ·the break condition
- ·position size
- ·review date
Annie Duke · Thinking in Bets