Read the Trading Journals shared in the event thread
When you like a post, use the Thanks button
Votes from all members are calculated by looking at the total number of "Thanks Received" cast during the event period for each journal
Only posts made within the eligible challenge period are eligible
Rules:
The contest begins February 1 and ends February 28. All decisions made by futures io are final.
This thread that you are reading right now will act as the repository for all journals that are entered into the contest.
To keep it fair for everyone, you are only eligible to win a prize in this event if you have not won any futures io prize during the last three events.
Thank you to our sponsor!
Thank you to @Topstep for sponsoring this event. You can ask questions about their program here, and get answers directly from Topstep in their Ask Me Anything thread:
Michael Patak, the Founder of TopstepTrader, will be monitoring this thread so that he may answer any questions that you post here relating to TST products and services.
Please keep in mind that some customer service/technical support issues are best …
What is Topstep?
Topstep is a well known scouting agency. Their Funded Trader Combine program focuses your attention on the most critical components to being a successful trader: discipline and risk. You can bring most any day trading methodology you wish to their program, and if you pass the Combine they will offer to fund you as a trader. Even if you have no desire to get funded, their Combine program is an excellent way to focus your attention where it needs to be.
Become a Better Trader
My goal with these contests is to encourage the journaling process, as I firmly believe the more you participate in the journal process, the better trader you will become.
Special Elite Member offer
In addition, for Elite Members, Topstep has a special offer* -- Receive a 20% discount off a Combine purchase, using this special link:
1st timer so just working on developing parameters of journaling. Mostly /ES with dabbles elsewhere. Intraday swing trader, a few scalps. Wyckoffian trained with TPO layered on. I'll develop as I can.
Site Administrator Swing Trader Data Scientist & DevOps
Manta, Ecuador
Experience: Advanced
Platform: My own custom solution
Trading: Emini Futures
Posts: 49,733 since Jun 2009
Thanks: 32,283 given,
97,469
received
The journal challenge is a recurring event here, and I am proud of it - because of how much it can help traders!
I've now completed the feature that will allow real-time updates for the journal challenge:
As you browse our community threads, you'll see this real-time list updating. Follow along in the journal threads and make your voice heard by voting for your favorites -- using the thanks button -- so that journal authors can win!
You should also start your own journal, for your own chance to win!
Trading: Mostly ES currently, prior CL but not enough volatility lately
Posts: 21 since Mar 2016
Thanks: 14 given,
29
received
to asahu - I'm new to this FIO and posting reply. I hope this comments gets to you. My posting of the trading journal template that I was testing my posting ability is not what FIO expects. See Mike's response to my question later on asking how to create a trading journal inside FIO.
Hi,
A trading journal on FIO means to literally journal your trades. So posting a past log from a spreadsheet converted to a PDF is not what we are talking about when we refer to a trading journal.
A journal is about the journey. So your journal covers everything. You can share screenshots of your trading platform charts, talk about what you are seeing and why you believe in your position. You typically do this throughout the day if you are day a trader, or once a day at the end of the session. If you are a longer term trader, adjust as you see fit.
To create a journal on futures io, you first simply decide if you want it to be in the open area (Trading Journals) or the Elite area (Elite Trading Journals). It's a choice up to you. Browse to the appropriate area -- you can do this by visiting the homepage of futures io (click on the logo top left), or there is a shortcut by clicking "Browse" top left of the navigation bar and selecting the appropriate area.
From there, simply click 'New Thread' in that area to start a new thread. Name your thread how you wish, look at the others in the area as an example.
Once created, you can 'Post Reply' to your own thread and update it as you see fit. Again, see the other journals on the site for examples.
Within your thread, you might want to post your PDF or spreadsheet.
Now --- separately --- as far as the February Journal Challenge, all you need to do to enter that challenge is to grab the URL from your journal, and paste it into a Reply in the February Journal Challenge thread. Again, look at the others in that thread as an example.
The following 2 users say Thank You to peanuts1956 for this post:
Hey all you beautiful traders. Thanks for having another journal challenge Big Mike.
Here's a couple quotes to get the ball rolling -
“If your goal is to trade like a professional and be a consistent winner, then you must start from the premise that the solutions are in your mind and not in the market.” – Mark Douglas
"It pays to be patient" - Unknown
Looking forward to watching everyone's Journal journeys! Below is the link to mine.
You don't have to be trading a live account to benefit from keeping a journal, and you don't have to be trading a live account to enter this journal challenge either.
Today it's been a solid green day. It started with a trade in Gold with just a couple of contracts that immediately gave me +900 USD, unfortunately I have no pictures of it.
After that I thought that …
The following user says Thank You to SBtrader82 for this post:
yes you are right, the reason why I have always been using dollars is that the trades that I post are made for TST combine, which measures everything (max daily loss, max drawdowns, profit targets etc...) in dollar terms.
It's your journal, which you keep to help your trading. So do whatever is best for you, to help you improve.
There is no necessary format. Use the journal the way you would use it if there were no contest. Probably others will understand well enough, and it is about your trading, in any case.
Bob.
When one door closes, another opens.
-- Cervantes, Don Quixote
The following user says Thank You to bobwest for this post:
Trading: Mostly ES currently, prior CL but not enough volatility lately
Posts: 21 since Mar 2016
Thanks: 14 given,
29
received
Thanks, that's what I was thinking. What's the benefit of the journal if the only objective is to win the challenge. But I will try to keep it clear, to the point, and reflect my progress or failure.
Hello Everyone,
I am Manmohan. I am a Futures trader with one year experience. Note, I am not a finance pro so follow your own due diligence when investing. I will document my Topstep trades here so I have a chance to win the February 2021 contest. I …
Last year I entered with a terrible strategy. In fact it wasn't much of a strategy at all. I was rude to people who tried to help and I'm sorry for that and that will motivate me this year to KEEP TO MY STRATEGY.
Its great to see such a positive community helping each other. In a lonely world of online trading there is power in community.
I am posting my journal here to start holding myself accountable to my actions in the markets.
Any critique or recommendations will be well received. Thanks to all who contributes to this site and puts the effort in to helping others on their journey.
I am here to hold my self accountable to my trading actions and behavior. To document my journey and find any daily actions that do and do not contribute to my path to a more consistent trader.
02/02/2021 Tuesday-
Market has rallied from Sunday …
Trading: Mostly ES currently, prior CL but not enough volatility lately
Posts: 21 since Mar 2016
Thanks: 14 given,
29
received
Day 2 of TopStep Journal Challenge - an interesting day and unique goals for Wednesday. Follow the link below for my journal, give me some Thanks here if you receive any benefit from my journal. I'd like any suggestions for improvement to my journal. Two profitable days so far and have 30 ticks in the bank.
Day 2 of TopStep February Trading Journal Challenge - A little longer than what I like but a unique day today. See trade pictures to the left and my reason for trading following.
02/02/21 trading journal- all ES trades 1st trade around 9:35am I …
You've already made the one post in this thread that you need in order to be entered in the contest. After someone has made a post here, members who want to view their journal will be able to click the link they placed in this thread and visit the journal thread. Votes will be tabulated on the number of Thanks you get in your journal.
Several posts in this thread are not necessary, and you don't benefit by multiple entries here.
To keep things simple in this thread, I am deleting the first post you made here in this thread two days ago, so the latest one will be the one that represents you in the contest. This is what you need, and you're good to go.
Thanks.
Bob.
When one door closes, another opens.
-- Cervantes, Don Quixote
The following user says Thank You to bobwest for this post:
Good day Sir. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for creating and running this site and to all of the contributors for the indicators shared and all of the other tremendous information this site has to offer. There are so many good indicators here that the price for the Elite membership is a steal of a deal. This site is a must for any trader. I have started to trade again on the currencies and from the 25th Jan. to today 3rd Feb I have taken 64 trades and only made $290 though I have an 84% win ratio. I had 54 winners ($1676.25) and 10 losers ($1386.25). My problem is allowing some of my losers to run for too long $468.75; $168.75:$112.5;$331.5 while cutting my winners short between $25 & $50 and overtrading last week (49 trades). If I can change this phycology and mentality asap I will be successful 3rd time around having lost about $10k in my previous 2 attempts including the cost of paid software and training (Shadowtraders & Ninjacators) Thanks again
P.S:I would like to enter and contribute to the 2 ongoing challenges but I am not sure of how to go about it. Please advise
Trading: Mostly ES currently, prior CL but not enough volatility lately
Posts: 21 since Mar 2016
Thanks: 14 given,
29
received
Good day to you also. There are instructions at the very beginning of this thread and you can post a question in the question section. But I created my journal first in the thread called "Trading Journals". This is where you would post into what would be your trading journal. Your journal can be what you want it to be and say what you want. Then copy the URL for your trading journal and post it a submission inside the thread called "FIO Journal Challenge - Feb 2021 w/Topstep" which is the one you just posted in. I've been instructed that you only post once in the FIO Journal Challenge that creates the link to your trading journal inside FIO. Hope this helps.
To enter the challenge competition, you need to do the following things:
1. Open up a trading journal thread on futures.io, if you don't have one already. This will be a thread where you enter the information about your trades that you want to record -- whatever you like, anything that you think will help you in your trading. Usually people note their trades, show charts, and otherwise explain what they did.
2. Make a post here, in this thread where you are reading this, giving the link to your journal. This will be the only time you will need to post in this thread.
3. Post in your journal thread (not here) as you trade.... again, whatever information you want in the journal. The process of having a journal is meant to help you improve your trading, so make it valuable for you.
4. Other members who want to have a look at what you are doing in your journal will be able to click on the link you have provided in this thread, and will then go over to your journal thread. If they find it helpful, or like it for any other reason, they can click on the Thanks button on one of your posts in that thread, and the total number of Thanks you receive will be your score for the competition.
The rules and the procedures are spelled out in the first post of this thread, by @Big Mike. Click here to go to that post, where it is all explained. Read down to the How to Participate and Rules sections:
I don't know if it is to late to enter the contest but will provide my link below just in case it isn't. It has been awhile since I kept a journal here on futures.io but have been struggling lately and have always found it helpful to do so. The accountability, keeping things simple and getting back to the basics is always good for me. I currently am trading the following micro instruments if you are interested in following my progress: MES, MNQ, M2K, MYM and MGC. I will begin posting my live trades tomorrow. Here is the link:
Its been a long time since I posted a journal here and I am not sure if it is to late to be included in the Journal Contest but even if it is not included, I am hoping that it will help me get back in sync with the markets, consistent and profitable. …
Thank you!
Don't be controlled by GREED, Led by FEAR, or Puffed up with PRIDE!
Site Administrator Swing Trader Data Scientist & DevOps
Manta, Ecuador
Experience: Advanced
Platform: My own custom solution
Trading: Emini Futures
Posts: 49,733 since Jun 2009
Thanks: 32,283 given,
97,469
received
Congratulations to everyone that is participating so far! And for those that have not yet created a journal and/or submitted their journal to this thread, please do so now! You still have plenty of time to participate in the event.
And remember, if you are not writing a journal, we still need your participation by using the "Thanks" button as you read through the various threads written by the authors mentioned in this thread. This is how the challenge winners will be decided.
At this exact moment, here is how it looks for the participators so far...
Journal Challenge February 2021 results (so far):
Total participants: 14
Rules considered by the system:
Owner of the journal must submit their journal link in the main event thread
Only posts made during the event will be considered, regardless of the date the journal was created
Winners are determined by the number of Thanks Received on eligible posts
In the event of a tie, the timestamp of the journal submission link will be the tiebreaker (so submit early!)
Site Moderators and Site Sponsors are ineligible
You are only eligible to win a prize in this event if you have not won any futures io prize during the last three events
Ranked 1st, @SBtrader82 received 72 thanks from 16 posts in February in their thread:
Hi traders,
I am not the kind of person who would normally take the time to share personal stuff on social media or blogs, but this time I decided to give it a chance. After working on my trading style for such a long time, I feel now I am really close …
Ranked 2nd, @Mtype received 14 thanks from 8 posts in February in their thread:
First time to start a thread and trading journal. Preparing for February 2020 trading journal challenge. I've been trading futures off and on now for 6 years. I'm a net looser since the beginning but have a dogged desire to make trading a living. …
Ranked 4th, @iqgod received 9 thanks from 4 posts in February in their thread:
Its been a long time since I posted a journal here and I am not sure if it is to late to be included in the Journal Contest but even if it is not included, I am hoping that it will help me get back in sync with the markets, consistent and profitable. …
Ranked 6th, @TraderNeo received 6 thanks from 18 posts in February in their thread:
Hello Everyone,
I am Manmohan. I am a Futures trader with one year experience. Note, I am not a finance pro so follow your own due diligence when investing. I will document my Topstep trades here so I have a chance to win the February 2021 contest. I …
Ranked 7th, @CfreeZ received 5 thanks from 5 posts in February in their thread:
Last year I entered with a terrible strategy. In fact it wasn't much of a strategy at all. I was rude to people who tried to help and I'm sorry for that and that will motivate me this year to KEEP TO MY STRATEGY.
My strategy is an entry based …
Ranked 9th, @dsulli6 received 2 thanks from 5 posts in February in their thread:
The title says it all! This journal is dedicated to the gradual growth of both my trading account and my checking account.
The end goal being the withdrawal of over $100K across the next 12 months.
My goal for this journal is to highlight how this …
Ranked 10th, @rossco received 2 thanks from 2 posts in February in their thread:
Hello all, Thank you for viewing my Journal. This is my journal that will layout my decisions from front end software picking through my attempts at automated trading.
My first major hurdle was User Interface: It could just be me, but this has …
Ranked 12th, @fxpro312 received 2 thanks from 1 posts in February in their thread:
I am here to hold my self accountable to my trading actions and behavior. To document my journey and find any daily actions that do and do not contribute to my path to a more consistent trader.
02/02/2021 Tuesday-
Market has rallied from Sunday …
Ranked 13th, @qwachu received 1 thanks from 8 posts in February in their thread:
New to FIO and novice with futures. I'll be updating as I figure what journaling is, how to apply it, etc. Goal: Journal at least the best and worst trade of each day. Thanks for support. /ES, /NQ, RTY, GC, SIL are primary areas of interest. …
Hi Traders,
I will cut right to the chase with this trading journal. I will post updates to my journal and my retrospective of the day after the AM and PM sessions are over and I have completed my post day analysis. I will upload the updated trade log …
Cheers!
JoeyZaza
The following 2 users say Thank You to JoeyZaza for this post:
Please check out my new journal. The idea is that based on the first 30 minutes of the DAX future (9:00-9:30 CET) I take a trade with fixed entry and exit times and with a predefined SL. Based on historical data/statistics. Please see my journal for more information and don't forget to hit the thanks button there
The trades in this journal are based on historical statistics (FDAX 2010-2020). Im looking at the initial balance of the RTH DAX future (= IB = first 30 minutes 9:00-9:30 CET). And Im looking at its direction, its position compared to the prior day and/or …
Site Administrator Swing Trader Data Scientist & DevOps
Manta, Ecuador
Experience: Advanced
Platform: My own custom solution
Trading: Emini Futures
Posts: 49,733 since Jun 2009
Thanks: 32,283 given,
97,469
received
Congratulations to everyone that is participating so far!
And remember, if you are not writing a journal, we still need your participation by using the "Thanks" button as you read through the various threads written by the authors mentioned in this thread. This is how the challenge winners will be decided.
At this exact moment, here is how it looks for the participators so far...
Journal Challenge February 2021 results (so far):
Total participants: 16
Rules considered by the system:
Owner of the journal must submit their journal link in the main event thread
Only posts made during the event will be considered, regardless of the date the journal was created
Winners are determined by the number of Thanks Received on eligible posts
In the event of a tie, the timestamp of the journal submission link will be the tiebreaker (so submit early!)
Site Moderators and Site Sponsors are ineligible
You are only eligible to win a prize in this event if you have not won any futures io prize during the last three events
Ranked 1st, @SBtrader82 received 116 thanks from 22 posts in February in their thread:
Hi traders,
I am not the kind of person who would normally take the time to share personal stuff on social media or blogs, but this time I decided to give it a chance. After working on my trading style for such a long time, I feel now I am really close …
Ranked 2nd, @iqgod received 61 thanks from 15 posts in February in their thread:
First time to start a thread and trading journal. Preparing for February 2020 trading journal challenge. I've been trading futures off and on now for 6 years. I'm a net looser since the beginning but have a dogged desire to make trading a living. …
Ranked 5th, @Deetee received 18 thanks from 9 posts in February in their thread:
The trades in this journal are based on historical statistics (FDAX 2010-2020). Im looking at the initial balance of the RTH DAX future (= IB = first 30 minutes 9:00-9:30 CET). And Im looking at its direction, its position compared to the prior day and/or …
Ranked 6th, @TraderNeo received 13 thanks from 22 posts in February in their thread:
Hello Everyone,
I am Manmohan. I am a Futures trader with one year experience. Note, I am not a finance pro so follow your own due diligence when investing. I will document my Topstep trades here so I have a chance to win the February 2021 contest. I …
Ranked 7th, @JoeyZaza received 8 thanks from 5 posts in February in their thread:
Hi Traders,
I will cut right to the chase with this trading journal. I will post updates to my journal and my retrospective of the day after the AM and PM sessions are over and I have completed my post day analysis. I will upload the updated trade log …
Ranked 8th, @BoltTrader received 7 thanks from 26 posts in February in their thread:
Its been a long time since I posted a journal here and I am not sure if it is to late to be included in the Journal Contest but even if it is not included, I am hoping that it will help me get back in sync with the markets, consistent and profitable. …
Ranked 9th, @CfreeZ received 5 thanks from 5 posts in February in their thread:
Last year I entered with a terrible strategy. In fact it wasn't much of a strategy at all. I was rude to people who tried to help and I'm sorry for that and that will motivate me this year to KEEP TO MY STRATEGY.
My strategy is an entry based …
Ranked 12th, @dsulli6 received 2 thanks from 5 posts in February in their thread:
The title says it all! This journal is dedicated to the gradual growth of both my trading account and my checking account.
The end goal being the withdrawal of over $100K across the next 12 months.
My goal for this journal is to highlight how this …
Ranked 13th, @jmp470 received 2 thanks from 12 posts in February in their thread:
Hello all, Thank you for viewing my Journal. This is my journal that will layout my decisions from front end software picking through my attempts at automated trading.
My first major hurdle was User Interface: It could just be me, but this has …
Ranked 14th, @fxpro312 received 2 thanks from 1 posts in February in their thread:
I am here to hold my self accountable to my trading actions and behavior. To document my journey and find any daily actions that do and do not contribute to my path to a more consistent trader.
02/02/2021 Tuesday-
Market has rallied from Sunday …
Ranked 15th, @qwachu received 1 thanks from 15 posts in February in their thread:
New to FIO and novice with futures. I'll be updating as I figure what journaling is, how to apply it, etc. Goal: Journal at least the best and worst trade of each day. Thanks for support. /ES, /NQ, RTY, GC, SIL are primary areas of interest. …
the money is what kicks in the emotion and causes traders to begin trading erratically and too frequently ( I speak from experience ). If you can learn to trade well for the sake of trading, money will follow.
The following user says Thank You to dbreen1 for this post:
I may have to participate in the next challenge, but this has opened up my eyes to the utility of looking through others journals and share learning experience (wisdom)!
The following user says Thank You to BluBraised for this post:
