Glossary
Trading journal
What is trading journal?
A trading journal is a record of your trades and the thinking around them, kept so you can review decisions later. A traditional journal captures what happened; on its own, it does not explain why the same mistake repeats.
Example
Your journal shows nine entries tagged 'moved stop.' It records the fact clearly. What it doesn't do is catch you at the tenth, in the moment the stop is about to move again.
Why it matters
Journals are useful evidence, but most traders stop keeping them, and a log of mistakes is not the same as interrupting one. The gap between recording a pattern and catching it is where a coach helps.
Common signs
- You record patterns but keep repeating them
- Entries are filled in after the damage, not before it
- You stop updating it within a few weeks
- It tells you what happened, not why