If you're wondering how to start a trading journal, the honest answer is: smaller than you think. You don't need 40 columns of spreadsheet. You need four fields logged consistently, and one review ritual per week.

Step 1 — Create One Account, Name It Honestly

Open a free journal like Forex Journal and add the account you actually trade — demo, live, or evaluation. Naming it "Account 3 FINAL final" is a red flag about your system, not your broker.

Step 2 — Log the Non-Negotiable Five

Every entry needs:

1. Symbol and direction
2. Entry / exit price
3. Position size
4. Planned stop and target (before entry)
5. One sentence: why did I take this?

That fifth field is where beginners turn into professionals. Screenshots help — drag the chart image straight onto the trade.

Step 3 — Import History Instead of Retyping

Already have trades in MT5 or a broker CSV? Use bulk import — hundreds of rows land in seconds, balances recalculated automatically.

Step 4 — The Weekly 20-Minute Review

Filter by week. Answer three questions: Which session made money? Which setup lost twice? Did any loss exceed plan? Write one adjustment. That loop — measure, adjust, repeat — is the entire edge.

Where Next

Once logging feels automatic, level up with prop firm rule tracking, the full free trading journal comparison, or add mistake-tagging psychology in this deep-dive.