Keeping a pattern log that you will actually use
Four columns, no essays: date, pattern, decision, and what the next three bars did.
Fancy journals die in week two. In the intensive we hand out a one-page log with four columns and insist that entries stay short.
The four columns
- Date and instrument — enough to find the chart again
- Pattern name — hammer, bearish engulfing, evening star, or “unclear”
- Decision — act, watch, or ignore, plus a five-word reason
- Follow-through — filled after three bars: held, failed, or mixed
Why “unclear” matters
Forcing a name onto every odd shape trains overconfidence. Writing “unclear” is a skill. It appears often in good logs.
Weekly review
Once a week, circle three ignores that would have hurt you if taken, and three acts that worked for structural reasons you can still explain. Bring that page to a private session if you want an instructor to challenge your filters.
The log is not a diary of feelings. It is a record of reading decisions. Keep it near the charts you actually mark.