What's the point of a trading plan when you're new?
A trading plan feels like paperwork until the first losing streak, then it's the difference between a rule and a mood. Beginners often skip it precisely because they don't yet understand what it protects them from.
Experienced members: what does your plan actually contain, and which part has saved you money? Beginners: what's stopping you from writing one?
The journal guide pairs naturally with a written plan.
Background: How to keep a trading journal that actually improves your trading
A journal turns a pile of trades into evidence. What to record, the numbers worth calculating and a weekly review routine that takes less than an hour.
What should a trading journal include?
For each trade: the pair, direction, size, entry, stop, target, risk, the reason for the trade, how you felt, the result in money and in R, whether you followed your plan, and chart screenshots.
How do I calculate expectancy?
Multiply your win rate by your average win, then subtract your loss rate multiplied by your average loss. Measured in R, a positive result means the approach has made money per trade on average.
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