Having a written plan is often undervalued.

Maybe because some plans go into too much detail.

Maybe because reality deviates from the plan almost immediately.

Whatever the reason, keeping a written track or a diary of your money management journey (or your life) can help answer some important questions:

How have things worked out relative to what I thought?

What has worked well?

What has not worked well?

Am I on track?

What has changed in my life?

Is there anything I could be doing differently?

Keeping notes on why you made decisions, what the context of your thinking was, how you feel (emotions) about things at various times in the market cycle and on the journey as a whole, all play a crucial role in helping you use your money to achieve the things that are really important to you.

It can help you stay the course. Keep your discipline when temptations to deviate arise.

Refresh your why – what is all the effort for.

So start writing things down – it helps!