Keeping a trading journal is not only a great idea, but it’s also very important for becoming a disciplined and trustworthy trader. In this guide, we’ll show you how to start your own options trading journal from scratch using simple tools and good habits.
The Advantages of Keeping a Journal for Personal Growth
When you record each of your trades, you’re building your own personal database — a kind of trading diary that quietly tracks how your mindset and strategy evolve over time. Funny enough, most traders don’t lose because of bad strategies — it’s because they don’t know how they’ll react under pressure. That’s exactly where a journal can be a game-changer.
Step 1 – Pick a format that fits your workflow best.
There are three main ways to start a journal:
- Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets. They are free and can be changed. You can keep track of every trade you make with custom columns and filters.
- Trading Journal Apps: TraderSync, Trademetria, and Edgewonk are examples of platforms that let you automatically import data and see how well you’re doing.
- Pen and paper: Great for thinking things through slowly and carefully. It’s good for beginners but not as good for analyzing data.
Step 2: Important Parts of a Journal
Your journal should have both stories and numbers. This is what a good structure looks like:
- Date and Time; Symbol (Asset)
- Prices for Getting In and Out
- The method used (news-based, pullback, breakout, etc.)
- Long/Short, Call/Put, or other types of trade
- Result (Profit or Loss in $ or %)
- How sure you are (1–10)
- Feelings Before and After (Scared, Sure, Nervous, etc.)
- Screenshot (optional but powerful)
- Important Lesson/Personal Notes
Step 3: An Actual Trade Entry Example
This is a short example of what a journal entry might look like:
May 21, 2025
The symbol is AAPL.
$187.30 to get in and $190.10 to get out
Method: Get over the resistance
Result: $280 more
Self-assurance: 8
Emotion: calm arrival, mild fear during consolidation
Lesson: They could have left earlier to make more money, but they believed in the breakout.
Step 4: Look at how things have changed over time
Look through your journal after you’ve made 10, 20, or 50 trades. Ask:
- What are the best configurations?
- Do you make more money when the market is going up or down?
- Do emotional decisions lead to losses?
- Do trades with a lot of confidence do better?
This is where real growth happens. Focus on trends, stay away from mistakes, and make your playbook better.
Step 5: Get into the habit of writing in a journal.
You have to keep using the journal for it to be useful. This is how to make it stick:
- Take 10 minutes after each session to write in your journal.
- Check out the trades you made that week every Sunday.
- Use browser add-ons or sites like TraderVue to automatically take pictures of your screen.
- Set up a way to give trades grades, like A/B/C or 1–10.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to be perfect. It’s about teaching yourself.
Pro Tip: Use Tags to Make Journaling Smarter
If you’re using Excel or a digital journaling platform, take a moment to tag your trades. Think of labels like:
- Breakout
- News-Based
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
- Early Exit
These easy tags will make a big difference later. When you want to review your performance or spot patterns, tags help you filter and sort trades in seconds — no guesswork.
The Bottom Line
Your trading journal isn’t just a place to log numbers — it’s your personal roadmap to becoming a smarter, more intentional trader.
The more consistently you write, reflect, and tag your trades, the faster you’ll grow and the more confident you’ll be in your decisions.
Coming Up in Part 3
We’ll dive into real trading journal examples, common mistakes traders make when journaling, and powerful tips to get the most value from your records.
