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Template: Trading Journal

Track your progress, spot patterns, and improve consistently. This simple weekly journal format takes 10 minutes to fill out but gives you insights that save months of trial and error.

Quick Wins

  • Weekly format – easier to maintain than daily
  • Key metrics only – don't track everything, track what matters
  • Pattern spotting – see what works, what doesn't
  • Action-focused – every entry ends with next week's plan
  • Copy and paste – use template as-is

Template: Weekly Trading Journal

Use this template every Sunday to review your week and plan the next one.

# Week of [Start Date] - [End Date]

---

## Quick Stats

**Pairs Traded:** [XAUUSD, EURUSD, etc.]  
**Total Trades:** [number]  
**Wins:** [number] ([X]%)  
**Losses:** [number] ([X]%)  
**Break-even:** [number]

**P&L:** [+/- $amount] ([X]% of account)  
**Starting Balance:** $[amount]  
**Ending Balance:** $[amount]  
**Max Drawdown:** [X]%

---

## What Went Well

**Best Trade:**
- Pair: [XAUUSD, etc.]
- Entry: [price] on [date/time]
- Exit: [price] on [date/time]
- Profit: +$[amount]
- Why it worked: [Explain - e.g., "Clean breakout, waited for retest, followed plan"]

**Best Decision:**
[Describe a good decision you made this week - e.g., "Skipped trading during NFP even though I wanted to - saved me from likely loss" or "Stuck to 0.5% risk per trade even when tempted to increase"]

**What I did right:**
1. [Thing you did well #1]
2. [Thing you did well #2]
3. [Thing you did well #3]

---

## What Went Wrong

**Worst Trade:**
- Pair: [XAUUSD, etc.]
- Entry: [price] on [date/time]
- Exit: [price] on [date/time]
- Loss: -$[amount]
- What happened: [Explain - e.g., "Entered too early, didn't wait for confirmation" or "Moved stop loss during trade - emotional mistake"]

**Biggest Mistake:**
[Describe your biggest error - e.g., "Revenge traded after 2 losses, broke my rules, lost 3% on stupid trades" or "Over-leveraged on GBPUSD because I was confident - got stopped out fast"]

**What I need to fix:**
1. [Mistake to avoid #1]
2. [Mistake to avoid #2]
3. [Mistake to avoid #3]

---

## Pattern Recognition

**I notice that:**
[Describe any patterns you're seeing - good or bad]

Examples:
- "I win more on XAUUSD between 8am-12pm GMT than afternoon"
- "I lose more when I trade after work when I'm tired"
- "My MA cross strategy works better on H4 than M5"
- "I'm more disciplined on Mondays/Tuesdays, sloppy on Fridays"

**This week taught me:**
[One key lesson from this week's trading]

---

## Strategy Performance

**What I'm testing:** [Name your strategy/EA/approach]

**This week's performance:**
- [Strategy stat 1, e.g., "MA cross: 5 trades, 3 wins, 60% win rate"]
- [Strategy stat 2, e.g., "Grid EA: +$120, but 18% drawdown"]

**Adjustments needed:**
[Any tweaks to make? e.g., "Increase stop loss from 15 to 20 pips" or "Add volatility filter to avoid ranging markets"]

---

## Goals for Next Week

**Primary Goal:**
[One main goal - e.g., "Stick to 10-trade max, no overtrading" or "Only trade XAUUSD during London session"]

**Trading Rules to Follow:**
1. [Rule #1, e.g., "Max 0.5% risk per trade, no exceptions"]
2. [Rule #2, e.g., "No trading 15 min before/after major news"]
3. [Rule #3, e.g., "If 2 losses in a row, stop for the day"]

**What I'll focus on improving:**
[Pick ONE thing - e.g., "Wait for full confirmation before entering - stop jumping in too early"]

---

## Notes & Observations

[Any other thoughts, market observations, or reminders to yourself]

Examples:
- "XAUUSD volatility increased this week - wider stops needed"
- "Broker spread widened during evening hours - avoid trading then"
- "Feeling more confident with setups - good sign"
- "Need to sleep better - tired trading = bad trading"

---

**Next review:** [Date - next Sunday]

Template: EA Testing Journal

Use this if testing EAs instead of manual trading:

# Week of [Start Date] - [End Date]

---

## EA Being Tested

**EA Name:** [Name and version]  
**Pairs:** [XAUUSD, etc.]  
**Timeframe:** [M5, H1, etc.]  
**Account:** [Demo or Live]  
**Starting Balance:** $[amount]

---

## This Week's Performance

**Trades:** [number]  
**Wins:** [number] ([X]%)  
**Losses:** [number] ([X]%)  
**P&L:** [+/- $amount] ([X]%)  
**Drawdown:** [X]% (max observed)

**Screenshot:** [Attach equity curve or MT5 statement]

---

## Observations

**What worked:**
- [Observation #1]
- [Observation #2]
- [Observation #3]

**What struggled:**
- [Issue #1]
- [Issue #2]
- [Issue #3]

**Market conditions:**
[Describe market - e.g., "Ranging week on XAUUSD - grid EA performed well" or "Strong trend week - breakout EA caught good moves"]

---

## EA Settings Used

**Current settings:**
- [Key setting 1]: [value]
- [Key setting 2]: [value]
- [Key setting 3]: [value]

**Changes this week:**
[Did you adjust any settings? Why?]

**Changes for next week:**
[Planning any adjustments?]

---

## Next Steps

**Continue testing?** [Yes/No]  
**Test duration so far:** [X] weeks  
**Target test duration:** [X] weeks

**Decision point:** [When will you decide to go live or stop testing?]

---

**Next review:** [Date]

How to Use These Templates

Step 1: Copy Template to Your Journal Thread

Create a new thread in Trading Journals category. Title it: "[Your Username]'s Trading Journal – [Start Date]"

Example: "TradeMaster's Trading Journal – January 2025"

Post the template once, then reply to your own thread each week with that week's entry.

Step 2: Fill It Out Every Sunday

Set a recurring reminder: Every Sunday evening, spend 10-15 minutes reviewing your week.

Don't skip weeks: Even bad weeks get journaled. Especially bad weeks—that's where the learning happens.

Step 3: Look for Patterns Over Time

After 4-8 weeks, read your entire journal. Look for:

  • Recurring mistakes
  • Times of day/week you trade best
  • Pairs that work better for you
  • Emotional patterns (stressed? overconfident?)

Step 4: Adjust Based on Data

Good journals lead to action:

  • "I notice I lose more on Fridays" → Stop trading Fridays for 2 weeks, see if it helps
  • "XAUUSD morning sessions work better" → Focus trading hours there
  • "I overtrade after wins" → Add rule: max 5 trades per day

What Makes a Good Trading Journal

✅ Consistent – weekly entries, no skips
✅ Honest – admit mistakes, don't sugarcoat
✅ Specific – numbers and facts, not feelings
✅ Action-focused – every entry has next week's plan
✅ Pattern-spotting – notice what repeats
✅ Reviewed – read past entries to spot trends

What Makes a Bad Trading Journal

❌ Inconsistent – weeks skipped, only posted when winning
❌ Vague – "traded okay" instead of metrics
❌ Emotional – blaming market, broker, bad luck
❌ No follow-through – write goals but don't act on them
❌ Too detailed – logging every tick, every thought (analysis paralysis)

Benefits of Public Journaling

Why post in YoForex instead of private journal:

  1. Accountability: Public commitment helps you follow through
  2. Community feedback: Others spot patterns you miss
  3. Shared learning: Your mistakes help others avoid them
  4. Motivation: Seeing others' progress keeps you going
  5. Track record: Builds reputation if you succeed consistently

Privacy tip: You don't have to post exact dollar amounts. Use percentages instead.

  • Instead of "+$450 profit" → "+9% gain"
  • Instead of "$5,000 account" → "mid-sized account"

Quick Journaling Tips

Tip #1: Focus on process, not results "I followed my rules perfectly this week" is more valuable than "I made money this week"

Tip #2: One improvement at a time Don't try to fix 10 things next week. Pick ONE thing to improve.

Tip #3: Screenshot everything Charts, equity curves, MT5 statements. Screenshots jog your memory later.

Tip #4: Journal losses more thoroughly than wins Your worst trades teach you more than your best ones.

Tip #5: Re-read every month Once a month, read all your past entries. Patterns become obvious over time.

Mini-FAQ

Q: Do I have to journal every week?
A: Consistency is key. Even if you didn't trade, post "No trades this week - [reason]". Keeps the habit alive.

Q: Should I share my journal publicly or keep it private?
A: Public is better for accountability, but do what makes you comfortable. You can post privately in your dashboard if preferred.

Q: What if I have a terrible week?
A: Journal it anyway. The worst weeks are the most valuable to document. That's where growth happens.

Q: Can I journal daily instead of weekly?
A: Sure, but daily can become overwhelming. Weekly is easier to maintain long-term.

Q: Should I include screenshots?
A: Highly recommended! Equity curves, trade history, chart screenshots—all helpful for review later.

End Note

The best traders journal consistently. They review their data, spot patterns, and improve systematically. Start your journal today in Trading Journals category and stick with it. Three months from now, you'll thank yourself.

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