The Easiest Way to Start a Trading Journal (Even If You Hate to Write)

Reading Time: 6 min

If you’ve ever wondered how to improve your trading performance, journaling is one of the most effective and underrated tools at your disposal.

Many traders shy away from starting a trading journal because they think it requires long, detailed entries or a special skill set. What I’ve discovered is that most traders aren’t journaling because they’re not really sure how to do it effectively. They don’t know what to write or why it matters.

The truth is, journaling doesn’t have to be complicated—it’s a simple practice that can help you track your progress, reflect on your trades, and build stronger trading habits.

In this easy guide, I’ll show you how to start journaling with minimal effort and maximum results.

Trust me. No writing talent is required, no pressure—just quick, simple reflections that will help you improve your trading over time.

Whether you’re new to journaling or have been hesitant to get started, this guide will help you take the first step toward a more disciplined and successful trading journey.

Why Every Trader Should Journal

Let’s start with the obvious question: why bother?

As a trading mindset coach, one of the first questions I ask traders is, 'Do you keep a journal?' The most common answer? 'I don’t, but I know I should.' And a close second is, 'Yes, I write down my entries and exits.'

So can’t you just rely on memory or check your trading platform for stats? Well, you could… but you’d miss out on some game-changing benefits of journaling.

The best thing about journaling isn’t just tracking trades. From my own experience and what I’ve seen with my clients when used correctly, it becomes a powerful tool for self-reflection, uncovering emotions, and refining strategies—leading to noticeable improvements in results.

How Journaling Can Improve Your Trading Results?

• Clarity on Your Mindset: Journaling helps you assess your emotional state before and after a trade. Are you calm or emotional? Knowing this helps you avoid impulsive decisions and stick to your plan.

• Learning From Every Trade: Every trade has something to teach you. Writing it down allows you to reflect on what went right, what went wrong, and how you can do better next time.

• Spotting Patterns: The more you write, the more you’ll notice patterns in your behavior and reactions to the market. This awareness helps you make smarter, more consistent decisions.

• Improving Discipline: When you track your emotions and actions, you build stronger discipline. This helps you stay focused, stick to your plan, and avoid emotional trading.
  
  

With self-reflection journaling you can gain insight into yourself as a trader and use that knowledge to refine your approach and become more consistent over time.

Making Journaling a Habit

The best journal in the world won’t help you if it sits untouched on your desk. So, let’s turn journaling into a habit that feels natural, without overwhelming you.

Here’s how to make journaling a regular part of your routine:

• Keep It Quick:
  Spending 5 minutes after your trading session? That’s less time than it takes to scroll through your social media feed! No need for long, drawn-out entries—just jot down a quick thought.

• Tie It to What You’re Already Doing:
  Make journaling part of something you already do, like your morning prep, evening routine, or coffee refill.

• Use Breaks or Downtime:
  A few minutes between trades? Use that time to check in on how you’re feeling.

• Try different things!
  The key is simplicity, balanced with the impact journaling can have on your trading. Test what works best for you—whether that’s jotting down a few lines immediately after a trade, reflecting on your expectations during prep time, or summarizing your day in the evening. Keep it easy, choose what resonates most with you, make it part of your routine, and soon it will feel natural.

• Don't forget about the reward
  This tiny change can lead to remarkable results—if you stay consistent. As James Clear says, "1% better every day leads to 37% improvement over a year." By journaling consistently, even in small ways, you’ll see compounding improvements in your mindset, discipline, and trading performance. Stick with it, and over time, those little reflections will add up to big changes in your trading success.
  
  

Tip: Keep it short and sweet—no pressure. The goal is to build a habit, not write essays. As you get more comfortable, you can gradually add more details.

How 1% Better Each Day Leads to 37% Growth in Trading

What to Journal About

Journaling isn’t about tracking every little detail of your trades—that’s already covered by your performance tracking system. Instead, this simple reflection will help you boost your mindset, improve your habits, and gain more control over your trading decisions.

Here’s what you can begin with:

• How do I feel? Ask yourself, Am I calm, prepared, or nervous? Your emotional state can have a huge impact on your decisions. Recognizing how you’re feeling helps you make adjustments and avoid impulsive trading decisions.
• Am I following my plan? Reflect on whether you stuck to the strategy you set for this trade. If not, what caused you to deviate? Understanding this will help you build stronger discipline and avoid making decisions based on emotions.
• How prepared am I? Check-in with yourself—have you done your research, have a clear entry and exit plan, and are you mentally ready? Journaling about your level of preparedness can help prevent mistakes caused by rushing or unclear plans.
• What went well? Take a moment to focus on what worked. Recognizing your small wins builds confidence and reinforces the habits that lead to success.
• What could I have done better? Without judgment, note what could have gone more smoothly. This simple reflection helps you identify areas for improvement in future trades.
• Lessons learned: Every trade, whether it’s a win or loss, offers a lesson. Reflecting on what you’ve learned will prevent you from repeating the same mistakes and help you grow as a trader.

But what If I forget to journal?

Set a reminder! Use alarms or sticky notes to prompt you after each trade. You can even automate part of the process with trading apps that track emotions and notes alongside your trades, making it easier to reflect without extra effort. Tie journaling to something you already do. Once you make it a habit, it will become a natural part of your routine, and you won’t need reminders anymore!

Tools for Effortless Journaling

You don’t need fancy tools to get started. Keep it simple to make it effortless and enjoyable. Choose whatever works best for you and don't look at anyone's fancy notebook or very complicated Excel sheet.

Here are the 5 things you could write your journal in:

• Old school paper or phone notes! Notebook or piece of paper and a pen. Nothing more you need. If you're done with handwriting for now use your notes on your phone.
  
  

  
  
  

• Spreadsheet (Google Sheets/Excel): Easy to organize and track over time. Maybe you already have one and You can adjust it.
  
  

  
  
  
• Sticky Notes: Maybe that's what you have and like to use! Yes, use it! 
  
   
  
  
•  Trading Journal Apps: Apps like Edgewonk or Tradervue provide extra note spaces that you could use for self-reflection journaling and emotional check-ins. If you're using one, check for that space.
  
  

The Bottom Line

You don’t need to be a writer to get the benefits of journaling—you just need to be a trader who’s committed to growth.

Journaling doesn’t have to be complicated. The real value lies in taking a few minutes to reflect on how you’re feeling, whether you’re sticking to your plan, and what you’re learning from each trade. It’s about adding a simple, effective reflection process to improve your trading—without the extra effort.

Start small—just a few quick notes about your emotions, preparation, mistakes, and lessons. You’ll begin to see the results in your behavior, and as you do, you’ll naturally want to dive deeper and make journaling a more powerful part of your routine. It’s all about building a habit that helps you make smarter decisions and, over time, improve your trading consistently.