There aren’t many secrets to trading, but knowing what to buy/sell and when are among the things that make or break a trader. This is what your plan/strategy is all about — to figure out the most profitable options.
You’re probably wondering “How to make a trading plan?”
And you’re not alone.
All the metrics and charts in the world can’t tell you what to do unless you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for in your trading endeavors. Not to worry though, we’ll break it down for you and even share suitable trading plan examples.
So, let’s explore how to make a trading plan!
Key Elements to Include in Your Trading Plan
Your trading plan is just that — “your” trading plan.
There is no single “best trading plan” that fits all.
You need to figure out something that works with your idea of trading and aligns with your goal. What drives you? Data points on charts and indicators? Recent news? Insider information in tech or other industry niches?
This is your starting point.
Next, move on to what you want to achieve with your trades.
Well, of course, you want to make money, but how exactly?
Do you prefer trading on short-term fluctuations or want to hold stocks for the long term before trading?
Next, you must look for stocks that show good overall financial health and consistent growth, allowing you to bag decent profits. This can also work the other way around if you’re planning to short-sell.
That is not to say that trading in the best stocks will guarantee profits all the time, but it’ll give you a fair chance at succeeding.
In general, here’s what you’ll want to include in your day trading business plan:
- Your approach to trading (day trading, scalping, swing trading, etc.)
- Making realistic profit expectations
- Risk assessment and management
- Setting up compatible indicators and charts
- Picking the best stocks
- Practicing self-discipline
Building a Solid Trading Plan: Step-by-Step Guide
Next up, you start by creating a trading plan to work on. You can get all sorts of stock trading plan template files online, but it’s best to start from zero and make something unique. Let’s go through a step-by-step guide for making a solid trading plan:
- Start by understanding your motivation
- Map out your schedule for trading (how much time can you commit per day)
- Outline your goals and break them into milestones
- Learn to manage risk levels effectively and balance with reward
- Set aside capital for trading (as much as you’re comfortable with)
- Learn the market trend
- Start journaling your trading activities (with data)
And that’s all there is to it!
Trading Plan Examples and Templates for Inspiration
The whole idea of an option trading plan example is to understand when to enter a trade, what to buy, and how to buy it. You must also know how and when to exit trades, whether you’re in profit or losing money.
For instance, in one example of a trading plan, expert traders recommend putting up blocks to avoid losing big. If you end up losing in three consecutive trades or lose a threshold amount of money, you must step aside from the trading screen.
This way, you won’t lose more than you have to — a common pitfall.
Let’s consider the basic anatomy of an example of a sample trading plan:
- Don’t risk more than 1% of capital for each trade
- For a $50,000 account, you can risk around $500 per trade
- See if you can use leverage and what sum you can use in leverage
- This also goes for correlated assets — see how much correlation is allowed
- Set up restrictions to keep you from losing more money than you have to
- Based on your performance, you can increase or reduce position size
- Make custom risk management rules and stick to them
The Importance of Having a Trading Plan
So, why do you need a trading plan, to begin with?
Well, not having a stock trading business plan is one of the biggest mistakes that all newbies make. And can you imagine how many of these people end up losing money? The number is north of 90%!
And it all comes down to not having a solid day trading plan to work with.
Now that you know how to build a trading plan, let’s see how you can benefit from a trading strategy:
- It gives a clear roadmap for your trading actions
- You can work on your trading goals
- It lets you manage risks effectively
- You’ll stick to a consistent trading strategy
- It’ll give you a clear entry and exit strategy
- You can track your trading performance
- It can help you avoid impulsive trading behavior
- You can adapt your plan according to changing market conditions
- It’ll let you manage your capital effectively
Designing a Trading Plan for Day Trading Success
Having a solid stock trading plan is not optional, it is an absolute necessity when it comes to trading effectively. Risk management, consistent profitability, and self-discipline are only possible when you have a swing trading plan, and you stick to it.
By now, you probably know “what is a trading plan?”
You must keep one thing in mind though: your plan has to be yours.
While you can use a template for the same purpose, your own plan is irreplaceable. Only you know your aspirations, how much you can invest, how much time you can dedicate to trading, and all other variables that can affect the outcome of the trade.
If you don’t have a very clear idea of what your plan should look it, just search for a template. Then you can modify it to best suit your needs. And in time, with experience, you’ll be able to create and modify your own trading plan.
We hope this helps and motivates you to do great things as a trader!
