Writing the checklist on paper or a fixed note next to the platform works better than a mental list. The act of ticking each item is what makes it harder to skip one when the market is already moving.
Early signs:
- Entering within a minute or two of a loss, without a full setup.
- Increasing size "to get it back".
- Switching instruments or timeframes mid-session.
- Moving stops or removing them.
- A mandatory pause (e.g. 10 minutes) after any loss above a certain size.
- Maximum number of trades per session.
- A written checklist that must be completed before each entry.
- Closing the platform after two consecutive full losses.
