What Should You Record in a Trading Journal?
The answer?
Everything. Absolutely everything.
You want to record everything you think, feel, and do before, during, and after each trade.
Why? Because trading is a performance-based skill—no matter what strategy or style you follow.
Your results depend on several things:
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How well you read the market
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How solid your trading plan or system is
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How well you stick to that plan
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And yes… a bit of luck too
There are so many factors that impact your success, and the only way to figure out what’s working and what’s not is to write it all down.
What Should Be in Your Forex Trading Journal?
Here’s what you should be tracking:
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Who You Are and Why You Trade
Before you find a trading method that fits, you need to understand yourself.
Your personality, lifestyle, and motivations all shape the way you trade. -
Your Market Philosophy
How do you view the market?
What beliefs shape your decisions?
Your journal should reflect how you think about risk and opportunity. -
Daily Market Observations
The market may change every day, but certain patterns and tendencies often repeat.
By observing consistently, you’ll be able to adapt, spot opportunities, and fine-tune your approach. -
Mistakes and Missed Opportunities
These are just as damaging as bad trades.
Maybe you closed a position too early. Or ignored a setup. Or sized a trade poorly.
Log it all—so you can stop repeating mistakes. -
Performance Data
Numbers tell the truth.
Your win rate, average gain/loss, risk-to-reward ratio—these stats show your real performance, no fluff.
As Shakira would say, the stats don’t lie.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Let’s Simplify It
Yes, it can feel like a lot to track.
So here’s a simple bare minimum list to help you get started. These are the 5 key things every trading journal should include:
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Potential Trade Setup – What area or condition made you consider the trade?
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Entry Trigger – The exact reason you pulled the trigger
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Position Size – How much you risked, and why
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Trade Management Plan – Your stop-loss, target, and any adjustment rules
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Post-Trade Reflection – What happened, what you learned, and what you’d do differently
Make It Yours
This is your trading journal—so customize it however you like.
Think of it like building your own character in a video game: tailor it to suit your style and needs.
The goal is to create a journal that gives you the most value.
So don’t just write for the sake of writing. Write what will help you grow as a trader.
Because in the end, the person who benefits most from keeping a trading journal…
is you.