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# How to Build a Trading Plan (One Page Is Enough)
- URL: https://www.daytraderincome.com/how-to-build-a-trading-plan/
- Published: 2026-10-27T21:28:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-01T06:36:14.000Z
- Description: A trading plan decides what you trade, when, how much you risk and when you stop, before the market opens. Here is a one-page template you can copy.
- Author: Indy Karveli
- Tags: Getting started

**Short answer:** a trading plan is a short written set of rules you make *before* the session: what you trade, when, your setup, how much you risk, and when you stop for the day. One page is enough. If you can't follow it with a racing heart, it's too complicated.

## Why write it down

In the moment, every rule feels negotiable. A written plan is your calm self making decisions for your stressed self. It also makes your results measurable: you can't judge a strategy you keep changing.

## The one-page template

### 1\. Market and timeframe

One market, one chart timeframe. For example: "[NQ](https://www.daytraderincome.com/what-is-nq/) futures on the 5-minute chart." More markets means more decisions and fewer reps.

### 2\. When I trade

Your [window](https://www.daytraderincome.com/best-time-of-day-to-day-trade/), with a hard stop time. For example: "From the New York open to 11:00 a.m., done by 1:00 p.m. no matter what."

### 3\. My setup

Describe your one setup in two or three sentences, specific enough that someone else could spot it. If it takes a paragraph, it's not one setup.

### 4\. Risk per trade

A fixed amount you can lose on any one trade, and how you [size](https://www.flltlt.com/blog/risk-management-for-funded-traders/?ref=daytraderincome.com) to it. Where the [stop](https://www.daytraderincome.com/stop-loss-explained/) goes and the rule that it never moves further away.

### 5\. Daily loss limit

The amount at which you stop for the day, no exceptions. This one rule prevents most blown accounts.

### 6\. Exits

Where you take profit, and whether you ever move a stop to break-even. Decide now, not mid-trade.

### 7\. When I don't trade

Big news releases, after two losses in a row, when you're tired or angry. Write your own list; you know your triggers.

### 8\. After the session

Log every trade in a [journal](https://www.daytraderincome.com/what-is-a-trading-journal/) and answer one question: did I follow the plan?

## How to know if the plan works

Run it unchanged for at least 30 sessions, ideally [on paper](https://www.daytraderincome.com/how-to-paper-trade/) first, then look at your [expectancy](https://www.daytraderincome.com/what-is-expectancy/). Change one rule at a time, and only between sessions, never during one.

## The test

At the end of each day, the question isn't "did I make money?" It's "did I follow my plan?" A red day with every rule followed is a good day. A green day where you broke your rules is a warning. Mark that answer on every session for exactly this reason.

*Education only, not investment advice. Most people who day trade lose money.*