Market Journal: trading lessons you can use tomorrow morning
Plain-language lessons on charts, companies, risk and the trader’s mind, written by the mentors at our New Delhi institute. Then keep your own journal with our free trading journal PDF.
My Trading Journal: a free, fillable PDF
One page that turns a week of trades into lessons. Type straight into it on your phone or computer, or print a fresh copy every week and keep it next to your screen. No sign-up needed.
- Before the BellYour max loss, max trades and the levels you are watching.
- Excitement meterRate yourself from 1 to 10 before you trade.
- Trade LogFifteen trades, with plan followed and feeling for each.
- Excitement CornerWhere the buzz goes, so it stays out of your trades.
- Weekly scorecardTrades, win rate, net result and rules broken.
- Next weekOne line on what you will do differently.
Five things to write down after every trade
You do not need a long diary. These five lines, kept honestly, show you more about your trading than another indicator ever will.
- 1
Why you entered
The setup, in one sentence. If you cannot write it, you probably should not have taken it.
- 2
Your stop-loss and size
Where you were proved wrong and how much that cost. This is the line that keeps you in the game.
- 3
What you felt
Calm, bored, rushed or excited. Emotions repeat, and so do the mistakes that come with them.
- 4
Whether you followed the plan
A yes or no matters more than the profit. It tells you whether your results come from skill or luck.
- 5
One lesson
Short and specific. “Moved my stop” is a lesson. “Bad day” is not.
Read the market before it opens
Fresh articles are on the way
Our mentors are writing new lessons on charts, companies and smart investing. Check back soon.
Articles are for stock market education only. 9AM Traders Academy does not give buy or sell tips or investment advice.
Trading journal questions
What is a trading journal?
A trading journal is a written record of every trade you take: why you entered, where your stop-loss was, how you felt and what happened. Reviewed every week, it shows the habits behind your results.
Is the trading journal PDF really free?
Yes. Download it, use it and share it with friends. There is no sign-up and nothing to pay.
Can I fill the journal on my phone?
Yes. The PDF has fillable fields, so you can type into it in a PDF app that supports forms, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can also print it and write by hand.
What is the Excitement Corner?
It is a page in the journal for the buzz that comes with trading. You rate how excited you feel before trading, note decisions you are proud of and tick off discipline milestones, so excitement is celebrated without driving your trades.
How often should I review my trading journal?
Fill the trade log after every trade and do a full review once a week. Fifteen honest minutes at the weekend is enough to spot patterns.
What does the Market Journal cover?
Plain-language lessons on stock market basics, technical and fundamental analysis, risk management, trading psychology and the habits that help you improve. It is education only, never tips.
Want a mentor to read your journal with you?
Bring your journal to a free demo class at our New Delhi institute. We will go through a few trades together.
Disclaimer: 9AM Traders Academy provides stock market education only. Market Journal articles and the trading journal are for learning. They are not stock tips, research recommendations or investment advice. Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. Read all related documents carefully before investing.