Ok, so its not really about the Spiritual Exercises, but doing this kind of introspection is certainly very Jesuit-y.  I'm quite sure that's not a word, but then again, neither is truthiness.

I think I'm going to start doing this.  Writing works for me in the same way.

Link: Fabrice Grinda: Musings of an Entrepreneur � The Power of Introspection and Detached Analysis.

"To help me make those decisions – whether in my business life or my personal life - I write myself long, detailed e-mails analyzing where I am, where I want to be, my options and the pros and cons of them.

The very act of writing down the options helps me think through them. I rarely reach the right conclusion while writing the e-mail to myself, but usually find it a few weeks later – sometimes after using the e-mail as a discussion tool with my close friends and trusted advisors."