Why Keep a Journal?
The best traders in the world write down what they do and why. A trade journal helps you see patterns in your own behavior — what works, what doesn't, and what you keep repeating.
Without a journal, you're flying blind. You might think you're good at picking tech stocks but bad at timing, when the data tells a different story. The Trade Journal makes tracking easy so you actually do it.
What the Journal Shows
Log each trade you make — including paper trades — and the journal keeps it all in one place: the stock, your entry and exit, your profit or loss, and how long you held it.
The performance section shows your overall numbers — win rate (what percentage of trades made money), average gain, average loss, and your total return. These numbers tell you if your strategy is actually working.
Adding Notes and Tags
After each trade, add a note explaining why you made the trade and what you expected to happen. Use tags like "momentum," "earnings play," or "value" to categorize your trades.
This is the most valuable part. Six months from now, you can filter by tag and see: "My momentum trades have a 65% win rate, but my earnings plays only win 30% of the time." That's powerful information you can't get any other way.
The Review Habit
Set a time each week — maybe Sunday evening — to review your journal. Look at your recent trades and ask: Did I follow my rules? Did I let emotions drive any decisions? What would I do differently?
Over time, this habit is what separates improving traders from ones who keep making the same mistakes. The journal gives you the data. The review turns data into lessons.