Article Ā· Review
Why journal your trades
Memory is selective. A written record lets you review what you actually planned and did, not what you remember.
Educational content only. Not financial advice. Updated October 28, 2026.
What a journal is for
A trade journal is a structured record of your trades and the thinking behind them. Its main job is to give you evidence about your own behaviour. When you look back, you can compare what you planned with what you did, and see patterns that are easy to miss in the moment.
What to record
Keep it simple enough that you'll actually do it. A useful starting set:
- Before the trade: the instrument, why you are considering it, planned entry, stop and exit conditions, planned position size and the amount at risk.
- During and after: actual entry and exit, fees, and the result.
- Process notes: whether you followed the plan, anything you changed and why, and how you felt (rushed, hesitant, confident).
Review on a schedule
Records only become learning when you read them. A short weekly review works well: look at the week's trades together, note where the process held and where it slipped, and choose one small thing to adjust. Judge the process separately from profit and loss (see Process vs. outcome).
Questions worth asking: Which trades matched my plan? Where did I deviate, and what triggered it? Was my size consistent with my risk limit? What one change would improve next week?
What a journal can't do
- It doesn't make trades profitable or guarantee improvement. It only makes your process visible.
- It isn't a substitute for tax or accounting records. Check what your local rules require.
- Honesty matters: a journal full of edited or skipped entries gives misleading feedback.
MšrketMindā¢ Trade Desk is being developed around these ideas as a Notion workspace. It is in private testing and is not yet available. You can use any tool that works for you, including a plain spreadsheet or notebook.
Related: Position sizing Ā· About Trade Desk
Educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Trading involves risk, including loss of capital. See the risk disclosure.