What a \"Good Trading Day\" Really Looks Like (And Why It’s Not Always About the P&L)

TL;DR: A truly good trading day isn’t measured by how much money you made, it’s measured by how well you stuck to your rules. You can end up red and still have an absolutely perfect day if you traded with discipline, patience, and zero rule breaks. Green days with sloppy execution? Those are actually bad days in disguise. The goal is consistency, not chasing every green candle.

Hey everyone, Coach Yoann here.

I’ve been trading full-time for over 5 years now, and if there’s one thing I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, it’s this: stop celebrating every green day and start celebrating the days you actually traded like a pro, whether the account went up or down.

Most traders (myself included back in the day) get so obsessed with the profit-and-loss number at the end of the session that we completely miss the real win: staying disciplined. And trust me, discipline is way harder than hitting a home run on one trade.

So let’s talk about what a genuinely good trading day actually looks like, straight from someone who’s lived through hundreds of them.

The Green Day That Was Actually a Disaster

Picture this: You wake up, the market is ripping, you catch a perfect setup, take a big winner, and finish the day +$4,000. You’re feeling like a genius. You post a screenshot, high-five yourself, maybe even buy yourself something nice.

But here’s what really happened:

• You sized up way bigger than your plan allowed because “the setup was too good.”

• You moved your stop-loss further away because you “knew it would bounce.”

• You added to a losing trade because “it was oversold.”

• You took three revenge trades after giving back half your gains.

You made money, but you broke every single rule in your playbook. That day wasn’t a win, it was a lucky disaster. The market just happened to bail you out this time.

The Red Day That Was a Masterpiece

Now flip it. You wake up, the market is choppy, nothing really sets up cleanly. You see a few tempting trades, but they’re outside your edge. You sit on your hands. You take one A+ setup at 10:30 a.m., it goes against you a little, you cut it at your predefined stop for a -0.4R loss. You wait again. Another setup comes at 1:15 p.m., you take it, it works, you make +1.2R. Then the market goes flat, you stop trading for the day. You end up -0.2R overall.

But you followed your plan to the letter:

• Only traded your highest-probability setups

• No over-sizing

• No moving stops

• No revenge trading

• Walked away when there was nothing left to do

That day was a massive win. You protected your capital, you reinforced your process, and you set yourself up for long-term success.

What a Truly Good Trading Day Feels Like

Here’s the checklist I run through every single evening:

1. Did I only take trades that matched my exact criteria?

2. Did I risk exactly what my plan says (no “just this once” sizing)?

3. Did I honor my stops and targets without second-guessing?

4. Did I stay calm when things went against me?

5. Did I stop trading when I hit my daily loss limit or when my edge disappeared?

6. Did I journal everything honestly, no sugarcoating?

If the answer to all six is yes, it was a great day. Period. Doesn’t matter if I made $3,000 or lost $800. I did my job.

The Real Payoff of Discipline Days

Here’s the thing most people don’t realize: the discipline days compound. One disciplined red day doesn’t hurt much, but one undisciplined green day can wipe out weeks of progress.

When you string together 10, 20, 50 days in a row where you respect your rules, the profits start to take care of themselves. Your win rate improves because you’re only taking high-quality setups. Your risk management gets bulletproof. And most importantly, your confidence comes from the process, not from the last trade’s outcome.

Final Thought

Next time you finish a session, ask yourself: “Did I trade like the version of myself I’m proud of?” If the answer is yes, give yourself a pat on the back, even if the account is red. You just had a damn good trading day.

Stay disciplined, my friends. The money will follow.

FAQ

Q: But don’t I need green days to stay motivated? A: Short-term motivation from profits is fine, but long-term motivation comes from knowing you’re in control. Celebrate process wins more than P&L wins.

Q: What if I had a great day but still lost money? A: That’s literally the definition of a great day. You did everything right and the market didn’t cooperate. That happens. Keep doing everything right.

Q: How do I know if I’m actually following my rules? A: Keep a detailed trading journal. Review every trade at the end of the day and mark it “Rule Followed” or “Rule Broken.” Be brutally honest.

Q: Isn’t it okay to bend the rules sometimes when the setup is “perfect”? A: No. Every time you bend the rules, you train yourself that rules are optional. That’s how blow-ups happen.

Q: What if I have a string of red days even when I’m disciplined? A: That’s normal. Markets go through cycles. If you’re following your plan, the edge will show up over hundreds of trades, not 10. Trust the process.

Thanks for reading, see you in the markets!

Coach Yoann

https://www.coachyoann.com

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. This article does not constitute an offer or a solicitation or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, financial product or services by nShape Capital (''Coach Yoann''). Furthermore, nothing in this article is intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice. All readers should do their Due Diligence before making any financial decision. Click here for full disclaimer: https://www.coachyoann.com/disclaimers.