Trading Mistake Review

A useful mistake label describes something you can verify: an incorrect quantity, a missed checklist item, an entry outside the written setup or a changed exit rule. Avoid a label so broad that it could explain any losing trade.

You can record these observations in trade context, journal notes and custom fields. Keep a short dictionary of the labels you use. If the same event is sometimes called chasing and sometimes called late entry, your later review may split one pattern into two unrelated groups.

A result does not by itself prove whether you followed your process. Compare the execution with the plan recorded before entry. If there was no written plan, record that absence instead of inventing one after the outcome is known.

For each observation, retain the execution date, strategy and a short explanation of the evidence. A linked strategy gives the review a defined set of entry and exit rules to compare against.

• Which written rule was relevant?
• What action actually occurred?
• What record supports that observation?

Use a defined date range when comparing records. Separate open positions from closed-trade realized results and keep account and market context visible. A small sample should remain a small sample rather than being presented as a reliable forecast.

Choose one process change you can record in your own Trading Plan or checklist. On the next review, look for evidence that the change was followed. The purpose is a more accurate record of behavior, not a promise that a label or checklist will produce profitable trades.

Preserve the note written near the execution when adding a later review. Mark an updated interpretation as a review rather than silently rewriting the original reason.

Use your trade notes and custom fields to retain these observations. A review label is your annotation, not an automated explanation of a trade result.