How I Use Audio Journaling and AI to Improve My Trading Decisions

Summary

Journaling is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools a trader can use. It helps you identify patterns and avoid repeating mistakes. It will help you reinforce discipline and sharpen your edge. However, many traders do not use journaling, and those who start with journaling do not stick to it for too long because it becomes too heavy, rigid, and time-consuming.I have felt it too - especially after a stressful trading day. Those days are some of the most critical journals you will write. A part of me is a scalper, a part of me is a systematic trader, and a still-evolving part is a discretionary trader. Systematic trades aren't hard to journal. But the scalper part of me finds it difficult to journal all the scalp trades - they are just too many sometimes. The discretionary trades have typically long journals. I used to write long journals "in text" at the end of the trading day with some pointers placed during the day. The problem is that the "end of the day" is usually biased toward the end result for the day.Instead, I have switched to something more natural, far more sustainable, and less stressful: Audio Journaling.Audio journaling allows me to document trades in real time or shortly after without the burden of typing. It helps me express emotions, thoughts, doubts, and strategies spontaneously and authentically.I use Audacity, a free desktop app, to do this. It’s lightweight, quick to open, and super reliable.How I Use Audacity to JournalIn Audacity, click the Record button and start talking. Once you are done with a clip, hit the Stop button. When you want to start a new clip, click the Record button again and stop when you are done.Audacity Track SegmentsThis way, I record multiple segments/clips of my audio journal. At the end of the day, I will have a track with numerous clips. I can also rename the clips, which is too much for me. You can also edit and delete clips if you think you need to re-record things, and you can re-arrange those later if you want ...