LearnApr 26, 2026

How is a trading journal different from a trade log?

Timothy Cahill

Trading Journal vs Trade Log — What's the Actual Difference?

A trade log records what happened. A trading journal records why you did it — and how you felt doing it.

Your trade log is the scoreboard. Entry, exit, size, P&L, time stamps. Important data, but surface level. It records the result, not the reasoning or context behind the trade.

Your journal goes deeper. Setup tag, confidence level, market context, emotional state, the honest note that says "took this off tilt after the morning loss." This information changes how you trade next week.

The journal is what stops you from repeating the same mistakes.

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