A trade journal only compounds if you keep it. The most common failure is building something so detailed that you abandon it within a week. Start small.
The minimum viable journal
- The setup you took and why
- Your planned risk and reward
- A screenshot at entry and at exit
- One sentence on whether you followed your plan
Review, don't just record
A journal is a feedback loop, not a diary. Once a week, read back your entries and tag the recurring mistakes. Process discipline — following your own rules — matters more than any single outcome.
Risk Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.