It’s 3:17 PM. You just closed another loss.
You stare at your chart like it personally betrayed you.
“Was that a bad setup? Did I rush it? Was it just bad luck?”
You shrug, chalk it up to randomness, and move on.
Big mistake.
Because right there, in that shrug, is the reason most traders never level up.
You Don’t Have an Edge If You Can’t Track It
Let me be blunt. If you’re not journaling your trades, you’re not serious.
That’s like trying to lose weight without tracking your diet.
Or trying to get stronger at the gym without logging your lifts.
It’s guessing. Hoping. Winging it.
And the market? It eats people who wing it.
Why Most Traders Avoid Journaling (And Why That’s Hurting Them)
Let’s be real. No one wants to journal after a crappy trade.
It’s awkward. Frustrating. You’d rather forget it happened.
But that resistance? That’s your ego trying to protect itself. And that ego is what’s standing between you and actual progress.
Here’s what journaling really does:
It turns every trade into a lesson.
Not a lecture. Not a guilt trip. A lesson—if you let it.
What to Track (Without Getting Fancy)
Don’t overthink this. You don’t need 40 columns and a spreadsheet that looks like NASA built it.
Here’s what matters:
1. The Setup
What did you see that made you pull the trigger?
Be specific. “Price reclaimed VWAP after a liquidity sweep.” That’s useful. “It looked good”? Trash it.
2. The Time
Note the exact entry time. Patterns hide here. Maybe all your bad trades come right after a New York open fake-out.
3. The Execution
Entry. Stop. Take profit. Position size.
This shows you if you followed your own plan—or if you impulse-clicked like a degenerate gambler.
4. The Result
Win, loss, breakeven. And how much, in dollars or R multiples.
This isn’t about the money. It’s about process over outcome. You can take a perfect loss or a lucky win. Know the difference.
5. The Reflection
Why did the trade work or fail?
Be honest. Did you trade your plan or trade your emotions? Did you anticipate the reaction or just chase it?
Your Journal Will Humble You (And That’s the Point)
After 10 trades, it’ll sting.
After 20, it’ll reveal patterns.
After 50? You’ll know exactly what’s working—and what’s wrecking your edge.
You’ll start seeing things like:
- “All my losers are counter-trend scalp attempts in no-man’s-land.”
- “My best trades come after a liquidity sweep + order block confluence.”
- “I keep moving stops too early. Gotta fix that.”
That’s not guesswork.
That’s data telling you the truth—even when your ego won’t.
How to Review Your Journal (Without Wasting Time)
Here’s a dead-simple weekly review routine. Takes 20 minutes max. Massive ROI.
1. Score Yourself
Create two columns:
✅ Followed Plan
❌ Broke Plan
Count them up. Get your percentage.
If you’re not following your rules at least 80% of the time, don’t blame the market. The problem’s in the mirror.
2. Highlight Your Extremes
Pick your top 3 trades and worst 3 trades from the week.
Then ask:
- What setup was it?
- What was the context?
- What was my mindset?
- Did I size correctly?
That contrast shows you what to do more of—and what to cut cold turkey.
3. Make One Small Tweak
Just one. Not five.
Maybe you’ll only trade during a specific time window next week.
Maybe you’ll size down until your win rate stabilizes.
Whatever it is, track the change. That’s how edges are built.
Tools That Make This Easy
You don’t need to code an app.
Start with what you’ve already got:
- Google Sheets – clean, customizable, shareable.
- Notion – great for combining screenshots + notes.
- Edgewonk / Trademetria / TraderVue – solid paid options if you want deeper stats.
And here’s a little bonus:
Screenshot your trades.
Mark up the chart. Add notes. Build a visual memory bank of what your edge actually looks like in the wild.
Final Thoughts: Trade Like a Scientist, Not a Cowboy
Every trade is a case study.
Every journal entry is a microscope into your behavior.
And behavior is what separates the consistent from the chaotic.
So if you want to stop bleeding capital and start building consistency?
Start journaling. Seriously. Today.
Not next week. Not when you’re on a winning streak. Today.
It won’t feel glamorous. But neither does the gym at 5 AM.
And you know what both have in common?
They get results.
Need a plug-and-play journal template?
I’ve got one that’s stupid simple and actually works.
Drop a comment or shoot me a message, happy to share it.
Just don’t say “I’ll start tomorrow.”
Because tomorrow is where most traders go to die.
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