How to keep a trading journal you will actually read

A journal only helps if you can read it. Keep each entry short and the same shape every time.

Record these seven things

• Market and direction
• The reason for the trade, in one sentence
• Where you are proven wrong (the stop) and the rupee risk
• The result in R (the result divided by the amount risked)
• How you felt before and after
• One mistake or one thing done well
• A tag, such as 'chased' or 'followed plan'

The weekly review

Once a week, count your tags. Most people find one or two habits account for most of their setbacks. Fix those before touching the method.