Using the Trade Journal

Frequently asked questions

What should I record for each trade?

Entry, exit, position size, and the result, plus which creator or setup the idea came from. Then add one line on why you took it and how you felt at the time. The numbers show what happened; the note is what later tells you why, and that is where most of the value sits.

Should I log trades I decided not to take?

Yes, and most traders skip this to their cost. Recording the setups you passed on shows whether your filtering is actually helping. If the trades you avoid keep working out, the problem is hesitation rather than strategy, and you would never see that from your closed trades alone.

How often should I review the journal?

A few minutes after each session while the reasoning is fresh, then a longer review once a week. The weekly pass is where you look for repeats rather than single trades, and it should finish with one or two specific goals instead of a general intention to do better.

Why keep a journal when creator stats are already public?

Creator stats describe their trades, not yours. Your fills, your sizing, and the trades you missed or exited early all change the outcome. The journal is the only record of how a creator actually performed in your hands, which is the number that decides whether to keep following them.