If you’ve searched for trading journal examples, you’ve likely seen either:

• Overly complicated spreadsheets
• Generic diary-style advice
• Templates that look good but don’t improve results

A trading journal should do one thing:

Turn your trading data into actionable improvement.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• Practical trading journal templates
• Forex trading journal examples
• Spreadsheet tracking formats
• Psychology journaling methods
• Weekly review structures
• How to combine personal journaling with FX Replay’s built-in journal

Why Trading Journals Actually Matter

A trading journal is not about recording trades.

It’s about identifying:

• Which setups produce consistent R
• Where execution breaks down
• When psychology interferes
• Which sessions perform best
• How strategy holds up across historical conditions

Without journaling, trading feels random.

With journaling, patterns become visible.

And when combined with replay-based backtesting, you accelerate learning dramatically.

1. Simple Trading Journal Example (Daily Log Template)

Here’s a structured template you can use immediately:

Trading Journal Template

Trade #: 142

Date: Feb 10, 2026

Market: EURUSD

Session: London

Direction: Long

Setup Type: Break & Retest

Timeframe: 15m

Entry Reason:

Break of Asian high + retest + bullish engulfing.

Stop Loss: Below structure low

Target: 2R

Risk: 1%

Result: +2R

Did I Follow My Plan? Yes

Execution Grade (1–5): 4

Emotional State: Calm before entry

Improvement Note:

Almost extended target unnecessarily.

Why This Works

• Forces clarity in setup definition
• Tracks performance in R multiples
• Includes psychology
• Takes less than 3 minutes to complete

This is your personal reflection layer.

2. Forex Trading Journal Example (Screenshot-Based)

Trading is visual.

A strong forex trading journal includes:

• Screenshot before entry
• Снимок экрана после выхода
• Marked structure
• Notes explaining reasoning

When reviewing 50+ screenshots, you’ll quickly notice:

• Entering too early
• Poor stop placement
• Overtrading low-volatility sessions

Visual review accelerates pattern recognition.

3. Trading Journal Spreadsheet Example (Performance Tracking)

If you trade multiple setups, track them separately.

Это поможет вам:

• Eliminate weak strategies
• Refine strong setups
• Make data-driven decisions

4. Psychology-Focused Trading Journal Example

Many traders don’t fail from strategy.

They fail from behavior.

Трек:

• Did I move my stop?
• Did I overtrade?
• Did I revenge trade?
• Did I hesitate?

Example Entry:

Two consecutive losses → urgency to “make it back.”

Correction plan → mandatory 20-minute break after 2 losses.

Over 100 trades, patterns become undeniable.

And once visible, they’re fixable.

5. How to Use FX Replay’s Journal Alongside Your Personal Journal

This is where traders can significantly improve efficiency.

Instead of choosing between:

• A spreadsheet
• A handwritten journal
• Or in-platform notes

The most effective approach is layering them.

Layer 1: FX Replay Journal (Execution & Data Layer)

FX Replay’s built-in journal allows you to:

• Log trades directly inside replay sessions
• Track R-multiples automatically
• Review trade history inside simulated market conditions
• Analyze setups across historical data
• Replay trades to evaluate execution timing

This creates a structured, performance-focused database.

It answers:

• Did this setup actually work historically?
• What’s the real win rate over 50–100 samples?
• Does the edge hold in different market conditions?

Instead of manually tracking every simulation trade in a spreadsheet, FX Replay centralizes your practice data.

Layer 2: Personal Journal (Reflection & Psychology Layer)

Your personal journal handles:

• Emotional patterns
• Rule violations
• Behavioral triggers
• Weekly strategic adjustments
• Lessons learned

FX Replay shows you what happened.

Your personal journal explores why it happened.

Together, they create a complete feedback loop.

Why Combining Both Is Powerful

Using only a spreadsheet misses context.

Using only personal notes misses data.

Using only replay without reflection misses psychological growth.

When you combine: Replay data + Built-in journaling metrics + Personal reflection

You create a professional-level review system.

This mirrors how serious prop traders refine performance.

6. Weekly Review Structure (Using Both Systems)

At the end of the week:

1. Review performance metrics inside FX Replay.
2. Identify best-performing setups.
3. Cross-reference with personal notes.
4. Identify psychological leaks.
5. Define one focus improvement for next week.

Пример:

FX Replay data shows London continuation trades perform best.

Personal journal shows overtrading during NY chop.

Conclusion: Focus only on London next week.

That’s structured improvement.

What Is the Best Trading Journal?

The best trading journal is:

• Simple enough to use daily
• Data-driven
• Screenshot-supported
• Reviewed weekly
• Integrated with replay backtesting

It should combine:

Performance metrics + Execution review + Psychology reflection

That’s where consistent growth happens.

Заключительные размышления

Most traders search for trading journal examples hoping to find the perfect template.

But improvement doesn’t come from templates alone.

It comes from feedback loops.

A structured journal turns random trades into measurable data.

Replay practice stress-tests your strategy.

Reflection fixes psychological leaks.

When combined, that’s how traders shorten the learning curve. Start using FX Replay's FREE trading journal and build more confidence in your trades.