The Spreadsheet That Saved My Sanity

How a simple dashboard gave me more clarity than any financial advisor ever did.

Let’s be honest:

Most of us didn’t get into investing to babysit our money.

We got into it to build freedom. Wealth. Control.

But somewhere along the way, we handed that control to someone else—usually an advisor charging 1% to do things we barely understand.

For a while, I was okay with that.

Until one day I realized:

I couldn’t answer the most basic questions about my portfolio.

• What’s my exposure to energy?
  
• How much of my cash is earning yield?
  
• How did I perform last quarter?
  

I had no clue.

I was rich in spreadsheets for everything—sales, taxes, planning. But when it came to my money?

Crickets.

The Turning Point

After ditching my financial advisor, I set up a new account. Transferred assets. And for the first time in years, looked under the hood.

It was a mess.

I didn’t want fancy software.

I didn't want Al-generated dashboards (although I constantly audition applicants for the position-and may be getting close).

I just wanted something simple. So I opened Google Sheets.

What My Spreadsheet Tracks (and Why)

This dashboard isn’t complex. But it’s effective.

Here’s what I include:

1. Asset Allocation by Type

• Hard Assets (Gold, Real Estate, Bitcoin)
  
• Equities (Value vs. Growth)
  
• Cash & Short-Term Debt
  
• Trades or Alternatives
  

→ This shows me how exposed I am to each theme. Every time I update it, I learn something.

2. Sector Breakdown

• Energy
  
• Tech
  
• Healthcare
  
• Financials
  
• Utilities
  

→ Helps me see if I’m unintentionally overweighted. Especially important when chasing trends.

3. Account Balances & Yield

• Total cash balance
  
• Yielding vs. non-yielding accounts
  
• Broker, custodian, wallet info
  

→ Shows me if I’m leaving lazy money on the table.

4. Performance (Monthly/Quarterly)

• % change by asset class
  
• Notes column for major wins/losses
  
• Macro conditions during the period
  

→ This keeps me from overreacting to one bad day—or celebrating one lucky trade.

5.  Investment Thesis Column

For every major position, I write:

• Why I bought it
  
• What will trigger me to sell
  
• What I believe that others don’t
  

→ It’s my personal guardrail against emotional decisions.

Why This Matters

Without a system, you’re flying blind.

With one, you stop asking, “What’s going on with my money?”

Because the answer is right in front of you—on your terms.

You become your own CIO.

You stop outsourcing thinking.

You start making decisions with data, not vibes.

Don’t Confuse Simplicity With Weakness

People assume systems need to be sophisticated.

In reality, the more successful the investor, the simpler their system.

You don’t need Bloomberg terminals. You need clarity.

This spreadsheet saved my sanity—not because it made me smarter…

…but because it made me accountable.

Want My Template?

✅ I share my exact dashboard, plus a walkthrough of how to use it, inside the Fearless Investor community.

📞 Or if you’re sitting on lazy capital and don’t know how to shift toward real-world, high-conviction investments like energy…

👉 Book a strategy call with Dakota Ridge Capital

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Final Thought

Don’t wait until the next market crash to realize you were flying blind.

You don’t need another expert. You need a system.

And yes—sometimes it starts with a spreadsheet.

https://neil-winward.kit.com/links