Top Questions to Ask Yourself After Each Trading Day

Most traders shut down their platform and move on with their day after the last trade. But this is when the most powerful growth opportunity begins. The minutes after your session end are when you have the clearest memory of what you did, how you felt, and where you strayed. Instead of ignoring it, ask yourself the right questions—and write them down. This is where real trading improvement begins, especially for those working through funded accounts with Funded Futures Network or evaluations at Prop Shop Traders.

Why End-of-Day Reflection Matters

Daily review creates compounding clarity. One day of reflection is helpful, but a month of daily review builds momentum, focus, and behavioral consistency. It’s what transforms knowledge into skill. If you want to stay funded at firms like Blue Guardian or hit profit targets with The Legends Trading, this habit will get you there faster.

Core Categories for Questions

Your daily questions should cover four main pillars:

• Strategy Execution
• Emotional Control
• Rule Adherence
• Learning and Adjustments

This keeps your journal balanced between performance, psychology, and planning.

Essential Questions to Ask Yourself

Here are key questions to include at the end of each trading day:

• Did I follow my trading plan today? If not, what caused me to deviate?
• What was the best trade I took—and why?
• What was the worst trade—and what triggered it?
• Did I break any prop firm rules today? If so, how will I prevent it next time?
• What was my emotional state during each trade? Calm? Rushed? Anxious?
• What would I do differently if I could replay today?
• What setup repeated itself today? Did I recognize it in time?
• Did I hesitate or rush on any entries? Why?
• What did I learn about my strategy today?
• What’s my specific goal for tomorrow?

Answering these daily is how professional traders refine their edge.

Bonus Questions for Funded Traders

If you’re already funded or in an evaluation, add questions like:

• Did I stay within my daily loss and drawdown limits?
• Am I still on pace for my profit target?
• Is it smarter to trade tomorrow—or wait?

These questions are critical for accounts with firms like Top One Futures or Funded Trading Plus, where challenge progress and risk thresholds are closely monitored.

Using a Template or Checklist Format

To make this easy, build your questions into a checklist or journal template. You can use printable versions from Prop Firm Press Journal Sheets or create your own in Google Docs, Notion, or a spreadsheet with drop-downs for fast logging.

Time Commitment: Under 10 Minutes

Keep it quick. 3–5 sentence answers are enough. The point is reflection, not perfection. The quicker you get it done, the more likely you’ll repeat it every day.

How This Practice Builds Consistency

These questions train your brain to expect review. And when you know you’ll review it later, you start making better decisions in the moment. That’s how journaling changes behavior. It creates accountability—even when you’re trading solo.

Make It a Ritual

End-of-day journaling should be part of your shutdown sequence. Just like you close your charts, close your day with answers to these questions. Over time, your journal becomes a blueprint for success—not just a log of what happened.