# How to Update Your Trading Plan Using Journal Data

> Your trading plan should evolve with the market. Learn how to use your journal data to optimize and update your plan safely.

**Tags:** trading-plan, data-analysis, optimization, improvement
**URL:** https://traderjournal.app/trading-plans/how-to-update-your-trading-plan

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# How to Update Your Trading Plan Using Journal Data

A trading plan is not a static document. As market conditions change and you gather more data, your rules should be refined. However, updating your plan based on emotions or a short losing streak is a mistake.

You must only update your plan using objective data from your trading journal.

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## When to Update Your Plan

Do not change your rules after a few losses. A strategy needs at least 50 to 100 trades to show its true statistical performance.

Review your journal quarterly. If your data shows a consistent trend over 3 months, it may be time to make an adjustment.

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## How to Analyze Your Data for Updates

Look for specific patterns in your journal:

- **Underperforming Assets:** If you trade 5 currency pairs, but one pair is responsible for 80% of your losses, remove it from your plan.
- **Stop Loss Optimization:** If your trades frequently go in your favor but hit your stop loss first, your stops may be too tight. Consider widening them in your plan.
- **Session Focus:** If your data shows you only make money during the London session, update your plan to restrict your trading hours to that session.

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## Modifying Rules Safely

Make one change at a time. If you modify your stop loss rules, your position sizing rules, and your entry triggers all at once, you will not know which change improved your performance.

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Trader Journal for MT4 and MT5 keeps a complete record of your trade history, providing the data you need to optimize your trading plan.

Download it today at android.traderjournal.app or ios.traderjournal.app.