Trade Journal & KPI Template : Log your trades, track your psychology
How to use this template
Daily
- Pre-trade ritual (1–2 minutes): rules, size, breathing.
- Log each trade the moment you place it.
- Note emotions; mark rule breaks explicitly.
Weekly
- Compute KPIs (win rate, expectancy, drawdown).
- Review rule-break rate; adjust friction points.
- Iterate: one tiny change at a time.
Monthly
- Assess regime fit (trend/volatility/liquidity).
- Re-scale risk if needed (up/down by 10–20%).
- Archive learnings; reset focus.
Trade Journal (scroll horizontally on mobile)
Keep entries short, factual, and consistent. All monetary metrics in R (risk units) to standardize across instruments.
| Date | Market | Timeframe | Setup | Entry | Stop | Exit | Risk (R) | Result (R) | Emotion/Notes | Rule Break? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY-MM-DD | EUR/USD | H1 | RSI pullback + structure | 1.0850 | 1.0825 | 1.0890 | 0.50 | +1.00 | Calm; followed plan. | No |
| YYYY-MM-DD | NASDAQ | M15 | Range fade | 17600 | 17680 | 17490 | 0.40 | -0.40 | Exited early; nervous. | Yes — early exit |
Tip: keep “R” fixed per trade (e.g., 0.5R or 1.0R). It stabilizes emotions and simplifies stats.
KPI Dashboard (formulas & targets)
Compute weekly. Keep it simple: fewer KPIs, better decisions.
| KPI | Formula (R-based) | Healthy Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win Rate | Wins / (Wins + Losses) | 40–60% (strategy dependent) | Lower win rate can work with bigger avg winners. |
| Expectancy | (Win% × AvgWin) − (Loss% × AvgLoss) | ≥ +0.20 R/trade | Your north star for compounding. |
| Avg Winner / Avg Loser | SumWins/WinCount ÷ |SumLosses/LossCount| | ≥ 1.3x (trend) • ≥ 1.0x (mean-revert) | Equal sizing and honest stops are key. |
| Max Drawdown | Max peak-to-trough loss (in R) | Keep < 8–12 R (weekly) | Trigger a cool-off or size cut. |
| Rule-Break Rate | Rule-break trades / total trades | < 10% | If higher, fix behavior before tactics. |
Expectancy example: Win% 45%, AvgWin 1.4R, Loss% 55%, AvgLoss 0.8R → 0.45×1.4 − 0.55×0.8 = +0.19R (nearly there).
Weekly Review Checklist
Process
- Did I follow pre-trade ritual?
- Any forced trades? Why?
- Were stops and size consistent?
Performance
- Expectancy trend: up / flat / down?
- Rule-break rate improving?
- Any regime mismatch?
Next Steps
- One tiny rule to adjust.
- One friction to remove (e.g., alerts).
- Risk scale: hold / up 10% / down 10%.
Emotion Log (identify triggers)
Short labels beat long essays. Name it → tame it.
| Moment | Emotion | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-trade | Anxious | Large gap at open | Half size; confirm structure. |
| During trade | Excited | Quick profit | Trail stop; avoid adding risk. |
| Post-loss | Frustrated | Second loss in a row | Mandatory break; review rules. |
Risk Rules (paste into your desk)
- Fixed risk per trade: 0.5–1.0R.
- Daily loss cap: -2R to -3R then stop.
- Time cutoff (e.g., 2 hours / session).
- No averaging down. Ever.
- Size down in unclear regimes.
- Only trade your written setup(s).
- Journal instantly; tag rule breaks.
- Weekly KPI review, tiny iteration.
- Reduce risk after new equity lows.
- Rest day after emotional spikes.
Mini Dashboard (fill & review)
| Week | Trades | Win % | Expectancy (R) | Max DD (R) | Rule-Break % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W-01 | 12 | 50% | +0.22 | -2.0 | 8% |
| W-02 | 10 | 40% | +0.15 | -2.5 | 5% |
Notes & Learnings
• What worked this week?
• What failed (process vs. strategy)?
• One tiny change for next week:
Kostolany to Algorithms
Market Psychology
Market Psychology