Field Journal · 2 May 2026

Keep a Journal That Hindsight Cannot Edit

Record the chart evidence and risk decision before outcome is known, then review process separately from profit.

A screenshot taken after exit invites a polished explanation. A useful journal preserves what was visible and what you believed before the next candle appeared.

The pre-trade record

Save the chart with entry, invalidation, and first management decision marked. Record setup criteria, account risk, calculated size, known event risk, and one sentence that would make you cancel the idea.

The post-trade record

First label rule adherence: followed, deviated, or unclear. Then record slippage, management changes, and emotional pressure. Profit belongs in the record, but it does not grade the process. A compliant loss and a reckless win require different lessons.

Review a group of trades on a fixed schedule. Look for repeated ambiguity and unplanned actions, not a perfect-looking equity curve.