Reflection
Trading Psychology Journal
Record your state before, during and after a trade alongside the plan and execution details.
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Record context while it is fresh
A short note near the execution is usually more useful than reconstructing your state days later. Describe the conditions you observed, the reason for the decision and any uncertainty you felt. Keep personal observations separate from market facts.
A simple before, during and after structure helps you retain the sequence. You can use trade notes or custom fields for these observations without changing the factual execution record.
Use labels you understand consistently
Choose a small set of descriptive labels and explain what each means in your own journal. A label such as calm or frustrated is your observation, not a software diagnosis. Use the same interpretation when comparing entries across a period.
Add context when a single label loses important detail. For example, the note can distinguish uncertainty about a setup from pressure to recover an earlier result. A chart or timestamp can support the execution record, but it cannot prove an emotional state.
- Before: reason, confidence and relevant context.
- During: changes in the plan or decision.
- After: exit reason and a short reflection.
Compare records with your written process
Review whether the recorded decisions matched your Playbook strategy and Trading Plan. Use session notes to connect several trades from the same day. Avoid assuming that one mood label caused a result just because the two appear together.
Keep financial metrics and personal observations distinct. Analytics describes recorded outcomes; the journal supplies your context. Neither is a prediction of future performance, and dedicated psychology reporting should not be confused with medical or psychological assessment.
Protect personal notes
Journal notes can contain more personal information than a broker tradebook. Record only what is useful for your review and avoid including passwords, account access information or unnecessary personal identifiers.
When exporting a file or sharing a screenshot, review the visible notes as well as the trading numbers. Account-based journal records are private to the authenticated workspace; sharing a downloaded file is a separate decision you control.