Trading Process & Improvement

Trading process & routine questions traders ask most

• What is a trading routine and why does it matter?

  A trading routine is a repeatable set of actions you do before, during, and after trading to keep decisions consistent. It matters because most performance problems come from inconsistency: skipping rules, changing sizing, or reacting emotionally. A routine turns trading into a process you can measure and improve. 

• How do you build a daily trading routine that actually works?

  Start small and focus on the essentials: plan your session, execute only your setups, and review results. Keep the routine short enough that you’ll actually follow it, then add detail only if it improves decision quality. The best routine is the one you can repeat even on busy days. 

• What should be included in a pre-market routine for traders?

  A strong pre-market routine includes a quick market scan, your watchlist selection, key levels or scenarios, and your risk limits for the day. You should also define what you are not trading today (conditions or setups to avoid). The goal is to start the session with a plan, not a blank slate. 

• What should you do in a post-trade routine?

  Record the trade while it’s fresh with entry reason, exit reason, mistakes, and a screenshot. Note whether you followed your rules and how well you executed, not just profit or loss. This builds a feedback loop that improves decisions faster than simply looking at account balance. 

• How do you create a weekly trading review process?

  Pick one day per week to review all trades and summarize performance. Look for repeating patterns such as best setups, worst mistakes, and what conditions helped or hurt. End the review by choosing one focus for next week, so the review leads to action. 

• What is the best way to journal trades for improvement?

  Journal trades in a structured way so you can analyze them later and record setup type, market, timeframe, entry trigger, stop/target logic, and execution quality. Add tags for mistakes (e.g., “late entry,” “moved stop,” “revenge trade”). A journal is most valuable when it helps you make better decisions, not when it’s just a diary. 

• How do you review your trading journal effectively?

  You don’t have to reread every note. Instead, look for patterns and find the largest outliers. Group trades by setup and mistake type, then compare results and execution quality. The goal is to find one or two changes that will have the biggest impact, not to collect endless insights. 

• What is backtesting and how do you do it correctly?

  Backtesting is testing trading rules on historical data to see how the strategy would have performed. Do it correctly by using fixed rules, recording results consistently, and avoiding “editing the strategy” after every few trades. The goal is to understand behavior over many trades, not to create a perfect curve. 

• How many trades do you need for a meaningful backtest?

  It depends on the strategy and frequency, but as a rule you need enough trades to reduce randomness. Typically, a good sample size can be anywehre from 50–100+ trades. If you only have 10–20 trades, outcomes can be misleading. A meaningful sample helps you estimate drawdowns, payoff, and consistency. 

• What is forward testing and how is it different from backtesting?

  Forward testing means applying your rules in real time (paper or small size) to see how they work with live conditions like spread, slippage, and decision pressure. Backtesting shows historical behavior, whereas forward testing shows whether you can execute it and whether results hold up today. Both are useful, but forward testing often exposes execution issues backtesting can’t. 

• How do you stop strategy hopping and stick to one process?

  Limit yourself to one primary strategy and define a minimum test period (for example, a certain number of trades) before changing anything. Keep a “change log” so adjustments are intentional, not emotional. Most strategy hopping comes from trying to escape normal losing streaks rather than improving execution. 

• What is a trading checklist and how do you use it?

  A trading checklist is a short list of conditions that must be true before you enter a trade. Use it to prevent impulsive trades and to keep execution consistent, especially under pressure. The best checklists are short, specific, and tied to your most common mistakes. 

• How do you build discipline and follow your trading rules?

  Discipline improves when rules are simple, visible, and tied to consequences. Many traders use “if-then” rules (e.g., if I break a rule, I stop trading for the day) and track rule adherence like a metric. The goal is to make good behavior automatic, not heroic. 

• What should you do after a losing streak to stay consistent?

  Reduce risk, slow down, and review whether losses came from normal variance or from execution errors. If mistakes increased, focus on fixing one behavior before increasing size again. A losing streak is often where routines matter most, because emotional decisions tend to spike.