Most journals fail because they record what happened rather than why it happened. Entry, exit and profit are already in the broker statement. The journal earns its place by capturing the things the statement cannot see.
The columns that matter
- Setup - which documented strategy this trade belongs to. If none, say so; those trades deserve their own review.
- Reason for entry - one sentence, written before the position is open.
- Planned risk in R, and where the stop sits.
- Emotional state - flat, frustrated, rushed, confident. One word is enough.
- What you would change - filled in after the exit, not during.
Reviewing without flattering yourself
Group trades by setup rather than by result. Judging trades by outcome teaches you that winners were good decisions, which is exactly the lesson that ruins a process. Group by setup and you can ask a better question: does this setup pay, across a sample large enough to mean something?
A sample of ten tells you nothing. Thirty starts to hint. A hundred is worth acting on. Until then, keep the size honest and keep logging.
The review is not there to make you feel better about the month. It is there to find the one habit costing you the most.