Why I Started Tracking My Thoughts

[Nexta]

I always tracked prices and indicators, but never what I felt. When I finally started journaling emotions with trades frustration, hesitation, prideI saw clear patterns. My mistakes weren’t random; they were moods in disguise.

Now, my trading journal reads more like self-therapy. The data matters, but mindset tells the truth first.

Charts show numbers; notes show patterns. Do you track your trades or your thoughts behind them?

[Iron Fist]

Interesting idea. Do you use any special software for your journal?

[rat03gopoh]

Some traders actually turn off emotions altogether with mechanical systems, backtesting, and robotic/AI advice execution.

Now, my trading journal reads more like self-therapy. The data matters, but mindset tells the truth first.

Does your emotion journal truly match your outcomes? Also, make sure you're not using "emotion" to justify random decisions that happen to work.

[Russlenat]

I always tracked prices and indicators, but never what I felt. When I finally started journaling emotions with trades frustration, hesitation, prideI saw clear patterns. My mistakes weren’t random; they were moods in disguise.

Now, my trading journal reads more like self-therapy. The data matters, but mindset tells the truth first.

Charts show numbers; notes show patterns. Do you track your trades or your thoughts behind them?

What you did is absolutely right. The first thing you have to control is your emotion, because no matter how good your trading strategy is, you’ll still end up losing if you let emotions take over, whether it’s frustration from mistakes or excitement from wins that makes you reckless.

The ability to manage your emotions is a must, but not many traders have that discipline, which is why most of them fail.

It’s good that you came to the realization that you need to check your emotions first, once you master that, everything else will follow naturally.

[Owena]

That's 100% true, as soon as you turn on your emotions you're in trouble with trading. That's called emotional buying, which can be compared to games of chance.

[Qastessa]

Trying to control emotions is the capability of some people not many. If you are strong person you cannot be easily defeated. Winning and losing are a part of life. But if you lose don’t lose hope and believe that “it’s no use crying over spilled milk. You will never lose. Earning, gaining. Losing, risking, and trading, thinking, wondering are always there but do not put the word “quitting” in your syllabus.

Those who gets imprisoned to their thoughts never gets out of it.

[Alphakilo]

This is a very good perspective to gain insight into the trading market and am sure any one who is ready to practice this method of thought study, would excel greatly at their trading activities because risk management practices would come easily and knowing when to apply stop loss or use leverage, will be an easy application process for better effectiveness in trading.

[Stalker22]

No, I dont track my trades like you do, I usually rely solely on exchange logs or deposit/withdrawal transactions.  But I see your point about why a personal journal could be useful.  We spend so much time hunting for technical edges and look for tips and tricks, but the biggest profit leak is almost always emotional execution.

So, have you figure out which specific mood, like greed or fear, usually causes you the most trouble?

[Oluwa-btc]

Now, my trading journal reads more like self-therapy. The data matters, but mindset tells the truth first.

Charts show numbers; notes show patterns. Do you track your trades or your thoughts behind them?

Exactly one thing that should be clearly understood while trading is being able to manage one's emotions. The intuition of control helps to minimize loses and enable you have an equilibrium pace in trading. It's sure a good pattern of adoption in being able to excel in the trade vigorously,hence the thoughts of emotional control is absolutely profitable and should be applicable when trading.

[Ziskinberg]

Keeping your emotions in control is one key to succeed in trading. While trading is a mental game, but it could also be seen as a highly emotional game, the more you put emotions on your trades, most likely your trades will be compromised. This is why it's best to trade with less emotions, since its impossible to trade anyway without any emotions involved.

Having a journal in trading will be a big help in determining your strengths and weaknesses and provides you feedbacks on what to change and what to develop.  And it will be a lot useful especially if you never give too much emotions in every trade.

[Ojima-ojo]

Some traders actually turn off emotions altogether with mechanical systems, backtesting, and robotic/AI advice execution.

Now, my trading journal reads more like self-therapy. The data matters, but mindset tells the truth first.

Does your emotion journal truly match your outcomes? Also, make sure you're not using "emotion" to justify random decisions that happen to work.

Trading answers to technical support and analysis that put you at a winning end, and as far as I know, we are in information era and for that reason we have multiple access to information that open us up for advantage in the long run, unlike emotions that is never Accurate, and end you in a bad position and decision making processes.