Trading Psychology
How to Maintain a Trading Journal
A trading journal turns experience into measurable learning. Here is what to record, a simple template, and how to run a weekly review.
Why keep a journal
Memory is selective. We remember spectacular wins and painful losses, but forget the ordinary trades that actually determine results. A journal gives you data about your own behaviour — the one variable you can control.
What to record for each trade
- Date, time and session
- Asset and timeframe
- Setup name (from your written plan)
- Reason for entry in one sentence
- Stake and % of capital
- Expiry / exit
- Result
- Emotional state before entry (calm, rushed, frustrated, bored)
- Whether you followed your rules (yes / no)
A simple template
| Date | Asset | Setup | Stake % | Result | Rules followed | Emotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | EUR/USD | Range rejection | 1% | Loss | Yes | Calm |
A spreadsheet is enough. The best journal is the one you will actually maintain.
The weekly review
Set aside 30 minutes every week:
- 01Calculate accuracy and expectancy for each setup separately.
- 02Compare results of trades where you followed rules versus broke them.
- 03Identify your most expensive mistake of the week.
- 04Write one specific change for next week.
What journals usually reveal
- Rule-breaking trades perform worse than planned trades.
- Results deteriorate late in sessions.
- Certain emotional states correlate with losses.
- Some "favourite" setups have no edge at all.
Privacy tip
Your journal contains financial information. Keep it private and avoid sharing account numbers or balances publicly.
See also Common Trading Psychology Mistakes.
- #journal
- #discipline
- #review
Risk note
Educational content only. Trading short-duration and binary-style products can lose your entire stake. Nothing here is a recommendation to trade.
About the author — Qutoxe Signals Editorial Team
Our editorial team writes educational material on market structure, risk and trader behaviour. Every article is reviewed before publication under our Editorial Policy. We do not provide personalised financial advice.
Editorially reviewed before publication
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