You’ve probably heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
But in trading? A video might be worth a million — especially when it comes to improving your process.
Most traders know they should review their trades. And a lot of them do it through journaling and spreadsheets.
But there’s one method that brings it all together in a powerful way —
Recording your trade reviews on video.
And one of the easiest ways to get started is with a tool called Loom.
What is Loom?
Loom is a simple screen-recording web-based software. It allows you to easily record your screen with audio which is great for trade review.
While I personally use desktop tools like Snagit and Camtasia, Loom is the one I recommend for newer traders because it’s:
- Free to start
- Beginner-friendly
- Automatically creates transcripts
If you’re just getting started with journaling your trades, Loom makes it easy to build a habit of review you’ll actually stick with.
Why Try Video Reviews?
If you’re already journaling your trades — awesome. But adding video gives you something writing alone can’t:
- Instead of just writing down how you felt, you can talk through emotions as related to how the price action unfolded so that you can help uncover any limiting patterns of behavior
- Instead of having just a screenshot of your trades, you can dial your chart back to what it looked like just before you made the trade. That way if you review the video down the road, you’re not swayed by the benefits of immediate hindsight (which tends to be 20/20). The benefit of hindsight is diminished.
It’s especially powerful for day traders and scalpers, where everything moves fast.
But swing traders can benefit too — by recording at the close of a trade or even mid-trade while managing a position.
Avoid Hindsight Bias
Here’s one small tweak that makes a huge difference:
Scroll your chart back to before the entry.
Then narrate:
- What did I see?
- Why did I act?
- What was my setup?
You’re doing this before you reveal how the trade actually played out. That way, you’re not editing your memory with hindsight.
Once you’ve walked through your setup, then scroll the chart forward. Show what happened. Talk through your exit. Be honest about your emotions.
Don’t hide your hesitation or frustration — those moments are super valuable when it comes to growth.
Remember: no one’s watching this but you.
Keep It Simple and Sustainable
A lot of traders worry about being awkward on video — and I get it. But you’re not filming a tutorial for the outside world.
This is just for you.
Here’s how to make it easy:
- Record in private if you can to reduce distractions and remove pressure
- Keep it short — 2 to 5 minutes is often plenty
- Speak freely — it’s more important to be real than polished
Bonus Tip: Use the Transcript with ChatGPT
One of the best features of using Loom? It will automatically and immediately create a transcript of your video. It’s AI-generated, so it’s likely not going to be as accurate as a human transcription, but it’s generally pretty solid. And this opens up a whole new layer of review.
You can drop parts of the transcript into ChatGPT and ask it to:
- Spot patterns in decision-making
- Highlight repeated hesitation points
- Pull out any additional key insights from the session
Try One Video Review This Week
Pick a day — even if you’re just doing simulated trading — and commit to recording one short video when you're done, using Loom or any other screen capture video tool of your choice.
Give it a simple name like:
“Aug 5 – Took trendline bounce long – exited too early”
You don’t need a giant library. Just start.
Because over time, these recordings become a goldmine that can help increase your self-awareness..
And no indicator can match that.
Want to know more ways to strengthen your mindset and your process?
Stick around —I’ll be sharing more ways to review smarter and trade with more confidence, one step at a time.
In the meantime, if you’ve missed any of our recent blogs, you can catch up here for more tips, tools, and real-life trade lessons.
~Hima
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