Logging

Logging your trades is one of the most important habits you should develop as a trader. Without accurate logging, you cannot objectively assess what works and what doesn't, and you'll end up trading mostly on gut feeling. This page explains why logging is essential and how TradeLogger helps you with this.

The reptilian brain

Our brain is evolutionarily programmed for survival. The reptilian brain reacts to danger and tries to protect us, but in trading, this works against us. Losses are an inevitable part of trading. You simply cannot win all trades.

The reptilian brain cannot handle this. For this reason, you need to keep it under control and make yourself comfortable with losing trades. This sounds easy, but it's extremely difficult: Our reptilian brain will fiercely protest against this, which manifests itself in emotional decisions. Think of fear, greed, and impulsive behavior. This will ALWAYS go wrong eventually. The question is not if, but when.

The importance of logging

Logging your trades helps you get your behavior under control. By analyzing objective data, you can make decisions based on facts instead of feelings. You see what's really happening, not what your brain makes you believe.

Logging is the foundation of every profitable trader. Without a proper trading journal, you trade based on sentiment, not data. This results in a major lack of insight and overview.

• You don't know which strategies actually work
• You repeat the same mistakes without realizing it
• You cannot objectively assess whether you're making progress
• You miss important (behavioral) patterns in your trading
• You make decisions based on recent trades, not long-term data

The reality: Traders who don't log often get stuck in the same mistakes. They think they're making progress when things go well, but often give back the profits when things go against them.

I don't feel like it

Discipline is THE keyword in trading. This applies not only to executing your plans, but also to recording the results. However, logging your trades can be an extremely time-consuming task, and it's certainly not the most enjoyable part of trading. It is, however, the most important part if you want to become or remain profitable.

If you don't log: You trade purely on gut feeling and your reptilian brain determines your choices, which are mainly related to your recent results. Beginner's luck can make you overconfident, a losing streak can completely destroy your confidence. Both lead to emotional decisions that cause stress and negatively affect your results.

If you do half the work: Do you log sometimes, but also regularly skip trades? Or do you log only minimal data per trade? Then you're not getting anywhere and might as well stop logging. Incomplete data is unreliable and gives a distorted picture. If you base your decisions on this, there's a very high chance you'll still make major mistakes.

Okay, so I really need to start logging... but WHAT exactly should I log? How do I even get started? This is where TradeLogger comes in.

TradeLogger

TradeLogger is specifically developed for Dutch day traders and swing traders who want to take their trading to the next level. Instead of manually keeping everything in Excel, TradeLogger offers a structured and efficient way to log and analyze your trades.

No messing around with Excel files and incomplete data, but a solid and user-friendly portal where you quickly and easily register all relevant data accurately for each trade. You don't have to think about anything anymore!

1. Structured trade logging:

• Log your trades quickly and easily with all important data
• Add screenshots to your trades for visual context
• Record your emotions with each trade to recognize patterns

2. Automatic calculations:

• TradeLogger automatically calculates all relevant data for each trade
• You don't have to calculate risk-reward ratios, win rates, or other statistics yourself
• Everything is updated in real-time, so you see your results immediately

3. Specialized statistics:

• Search specifically by ticker, strategy, time slot, weekday, or combinations thereof
• Discover (behavioral) patterns in your trading
• See immediately where you're strong and where you can improve

4. Test your discipline:

• Test your trades against the rules of your strategy
• Discover how often you take trades that don't meet your strategy requirements
• Identify emotional mistakes

5. Mentor collaboration:

• Give your mentor access to your trades and basic statistics
• Let your mentor write reviews on your trades
• Work together during coaching sessions with real-time insight

6. Fully Dutch:

• The application is fully in Dutch (English also available)
• Developed for and by Dutch traders who understand what you need
• Support in Dutch

Important: Logging is not a punishment, it's your tool to get better. Every trade you log gives you more insight. Every analysis you do helps you make better decisions.

Next steps

Now that you understand why logging is essential, it's time to get started. TradeLogger makes logging simple and efficient, so you can focus on what really matters: learning to trade better. Sign up for the waitlist and take the first step in optimizing your trading results.