Quote from krishiyer:
Iam bit lazy to write a detailed plan of the trade before or immediately after enetering the trade.While reading this thread,suddenly I got an idea why not immediately save the chart with the indicator set up(I can do it in my medved qt charts),import it in to the word/paint & mention the trade taken (immediately after the order got executed)
Iam thinking out loud.when I close the trade(profit/loss),take the shot of the chart & compare why it was successful/lost!
Since I trade expiring options aggressively in the last week,I will usually enter all my trades in 10D/15m chart & analyse at the end of the week.
Usual story-I started buying call/put too early,average down down down & sell all of them too early when there is reversal to my predicted direction.
net result meagre profits for the effort put in.Iam attaching one of my old charts which is handy.(mar 2006) I have not done this week analysis yet.I played mostly IWM options.Nothing to boast!! MM's became stingy & killed the delta of all Aug options.Direction right but ATM/OTM option got peanuts!!
having written this post, my mind is made up of maintaining daily chart journal of all my trades.
other traders practices/constructive criticism welcome!!
Yes, save the picture of the stock when u get in and after you get out. Find a way to categorize the pattern you are trading into seperate folders and name the folders after the pattern. Just make up names.
When you see something setting up that fits a category bring up old pictures and compare the looks.
John