How to Build a Trading Journal That Improves Results
Turn your journal into an edge: log setups, emotions, risk, outcomes, and weekly reviews that reveal what actually makes you money.
Key Takeaways
- •Log setup, thesis, risk, execution, emotions
- •Tag by setup, market regime, mistake types
- •Do a 30–60 min weekly review with KPIs
What to record
Before
Setup, entry plan, stop, target, risk $.
During
Emotions, deviations from plan.
After
Result in R, screenshot, lesson learned.
Tagging
Use tags like breakout, pullback, trend, range, news, FOMO, late, size error.
Over time, surface win rate and expectancy by tag.
Weekly review ritual
Top 5 wins/losses
One line each.
Biggest mistake & one fix
For next week.
KPI dashboard
Win rate, avg R, expectancy, drawdown.
Essential metrics to track
Win Rate
% of profitable trades
Average R
Risk-adjusted returns
Expectancy
Expected value per trade
Max Drawdown
Largest losing streak
Tools
Spreadsheet, Notion, or dedicated journal app; export broker fills and attach screenshots.
Sample journal entry
Date: 2024-01-15
Ticker: AAPL
Setup: Pullback to 20-MA in uptrend
Entry: $185.50 | Stop: $182.00 | Target: $192.00
Risk: $100 (1%) | Size: 28 shares
Tags: pullback, trend, earnings-week
Result: +1.8R | P&L: $180
Notes: Clean setup, stuck to plan. Earnings played out well.
Start Your Journal
Create a journal template with required fields + tags; commit to 20 logged trades before changing formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paper or app?
The best is the one you'll use daily.
How long to review?
30–60 mins per week is plenty.