Guide

How to Keep a Trading Journal

Record less, record every time, and review what you recorded.

Keep a trading journal by logging every trade, recording why you took it and how you felt, and reviewing the entries weekly. The journal only works if it is complete, so make logging automatic and keep each entry small.

What to record

  • The facts: instrument, direction, size, entry, exit, result. Connecting your broker or platform captures these for you.
  • The reason: which setup and what you expected to happen.
  • The process: did you follow your plan, and did you manage risk as intended?
  • The state: how you felt going in and coming out.

Cut the manual work

Typing in fills by hand is where most journals die. Toreda imports trades from Tradovate, TopstepX, ProjectX, NinjaTrader, Webull and Robinhood, so your time goes to the part only you can do: the reasoning and the scoring.

Build the habit

  1. Do a short check-in before the open and a review after the close.
  2. Score trades the same day, while you remember them.
  3. Once a week, look at your scores and penalties for patterns.
  4. Change one thing, then see whether the numbers move.

Completeness beats detail

A thin entry for every trade is worth more than a detailed entry for some of them. Skipped trades are usually the ones you needed to see.

The Discipline Before Analysis lesson covers why logging comes first, and Building Your Watchlist shows how journaling fits into a daily workflow.

Go deeper in Toreda Learn

Frequently asked questions

How often should I update my trading journal?
After every session at a minimum. Scoring each trade the same day keeps the notes accurate.
Should I use a spreadsheet or a journaling app?
A spreadsheet works if you never skip it. An app that imports trades and scores them removes the manual steps that cause people to quit.
What is the most useful thing to track?
Whether you followed your plan. Results swing with luck; rule adherence is the part you control.

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This content is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss. See our risk disclosure for details.

Disclaimer

Toreda is a product of Bearcat Solutions, a company registered in the U.S. and its affiliates (collectively, the “Company”). Toreda is a trade journaling, performance analytics, and AI coaching platform designed to help traders log, review, and improve their trading. None of the information provided by the Company or contained herein is intended as investment advice, as any offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities of any kind, or as a recommendation, endorsement, or sponsorship of any security, company, or fund. Nothing contained herein constitutes a solicitation of any kind or an offer to buy or sell futures, options, forex, or any other derivative security. The performance dashboards, trade scores, AI coach insights, and analytics provided through Toreda are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be relied upon for making investment decisions. Any use of the information on the Company's websites and platform is strictly at your own risk, and the Company assumes no responsibility or liability for any use or misuse of such information. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and every investment involves risks, including the possibility of total loss of the amount invested. You should always seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. The Company is not a financial broker, financial advisor, financial manager, or a financial representative, and does not accept client deposits.

Toreda does not offer or provide trading or investment recommendations. The AI Coach feature provides analytical insights based on your own trade history — it does not recommend specific trades, securities, or strategies. Any trading or investment decisions you make are entirely your responsibility and at your own risk. The results of any services provided by Toreda are directly related to each individual's professional skill level, trading discipline, and their capacity to apply the insights provided.

Disclosure on Performance Data

The performance metrics, scores, equity curves, and analytics displayed within Toreda are calculated from trade data imported from your connected broker accounts or manually entered by you. These metrics reflect historical results and have inherent limitations. No claim is made that any trading approach tracked in Toreda will achieve or is likely to achieve future profits or losses comparable to those shown. Actual trading results can differ significantly from historical performance data. Performance analytics benefit from hindsight and cannot account for all market factors, emotional decision-making, or evolving market conditions that affect real-time trading. Many factors — including slippage, commissions, market liquidity, and individual execution — can adversely affect actual trading results beyond what is reflected in the platform's analytics.

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