Trading plan

Day Trading Plan: What to Include

Intraday decisions happen too fast to make up as you go. A day trading plan settles the rules before the open so the session is about execution, not improvisation.

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Why it matters

Why day traders need a written plan most

Day trading compresses dozens of decisions into a few hours, with adrenaline working against you the whole time. Without a written plan, every choice is made in the moment, and the moment is exactly when discipline is weakest.

A day trading plan moves the thinking to before the open, when you are calm. During the session you are checking trades against rules you already set, which is far easier than inventing them under pressure.

Components

What a day trading plan includes

Trading window

The hours you trade — often the open and close — and the dead zones you sit out.

Setups

The specific intraday patterns you take, defined precisely.

Daily loss limit

A hard stop for the day that ends the session before tilt does.

Max trades

A cap that protects you from overtrading a slow day.

Risk per trade

Fixed sizing so one bad trade cannot define the day.

Example

An illustrative day plan

For example: trade only the first ninety minutes and the last hour; take only opening-range breakouts and failed-breakout reversals; risk a fixed amount per trade; stop for the day after two losers or a set loss; no more than five trades. Everything outside that is a pass.

The specifics matter less than that they are written and checkable. A plan you can grade yourself against — did I trade my window, my setups, my limit — is a plan a daily review can hold you to.

In Mettle

How to use this plan in Mettle

1
Write each setup as a play
Turn the plan into named plays with their rules, so every trade has something to be measured against.
2
Log trades against the play
Tag each trade to its play and record what actually happened, including deviations.
3
Review adherence weekly
Let the weekly review reflect how often you followed the plan and how those trades scored, so the plan stays enforced by feedback rather than willpower.

FAQ

Does Mettle build the plan or trade it for me?

No. Mettle does not generate plans, signal entries, or place trades — it is a journal and review tool. You write the plan; Mettle helps you turn it into plays, log trades against it, and review whether you actually followed it.

Are the scores objective or self-reported?

Self-reported, by design. No software can see whether you hesitated, chased, or broke your own rule — only you can. Mettle structures that self-report so it is fast, honest, and comparable week to week, and keeps its analysis grounded in what you actually logged.

Is Mettle free to start?

Yes. You get full access free for 14 days with no card. We only ask for a card once you have reviewed three sessions, after the product has earned a place in your routine.

Hold yourself to the plan

Write your day plan as plays, log every trade against it, and review your adherence each day. Free to start, no card.