## The Decision Journal
A decision journal is a written record of significant decisions: what you decided, what information you had, what reasoning you applied, and what you expected to happen. Later, you revisit the journal to see what actually happened — and what you got right or wrong.
The bet log is a decision journal for bet selections. The decision journal extends this to strategic decisions: entering a new market, changing your staking method, adding a new strategy.
## What to Record
For each significant decision (not individual bets — those are in the bet log):
- **Decision:** What did I decide?
- **Context:** What was the situation? What information did I have?
- **Reasoning:** Why this decision? What alternatives were rejected and why?
- **Expected outcome:** What do I expect to happen? By when?
- **Emotional state:** What was I feeling when I made this decision?
- **Review date:** When will I check whether the decision was correct?
## Example Decision Journal Entry
**Date:** March 15
**Decision:** Add basketball player props as a second strategy starting April
**Context:** My football AH strategy has 200+ bets of positive CLV. Basketball props seem similar in terms of statistical predictability. NBA injury report timing creates clear edge windows.
**Reasoning:** Diversification benefit, uncorrelated with football, available analysis infrastructure.
**Expected outcome:** Positive CLV within 100 bets; positive ROI within 200.
**Emotional state:** Enthusiastic, possibly slightly overconfident.
**Review date:** September 15 (after 6 months)
## The Review Discipline
Set calendar reminders for every decision journal entry review date. At review: did the decision produce the expected outcome? If not: why not? What would you decide differently?
This structured learning loop produces genuine expertise improvement that casual experience does not.
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