Things worth no longer tracking because they're noise
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2026 11:01 am
Journals grow. New fields get added. Eventually, the journal takes longer than the trading. Some fields can go.
Candidates for removal:
- Detailed emotions on every trade (a simple 1–5 scale may be enough).
- Indicator values that don't affect decisions.
- Market commentary that's never reviewed.
- Multiple screenshots per trade.
- Fields that are always the same.
Fields that usually stay:
- Setup type.
- Entry, stop, target, result in R.
- Followed plan (yes/no).
- Spread at entry.
- One-line note.
Exercise: look at each field in your journal. When did you last use it in a review? If it's been months, consider removing it.
A lean journal is more likely to be maintained.
What have you stopped tracking?
Candidates for removal:
- Detailed emotions on every trade (a simple 1–5 scale may be enough).
- Indicator values that don't affect decisions.
- Market commentary that's never reviewed.
- Multiple screenshots per trade.
- Fields that are always the same.
Fields that usually stay:
- Setup type.
- Entry, stop, target, result in R.
- Followed plan (yes/no).
- Spread at entry.
- One-line note.
Exercise: look at each field in your journal. When did you last use it in a review? If it's been months, consider removing it.
A lean journal is more likely to be maintained.
What have you stopped tracking?