Say Goodbye to Flaky Goals: Smarter Trading in 2025

Build a Plan That Actually Works

Last week, I hosted a webinar called “Getting A Head Start On The New Year” (watch the replay here.)

In the first half, I shared a tactic for efficient trade reviews in 2024.

The second half was all about effective goal-setting for the new year, how to set trading goals and find the optimal approach.

I don’t know about you, but things always sink in better with examples.

So, let’s work through a real-world goal example together…

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM

Before setting any goals, you need to pinpoint the biggest and best lever to pull right now.
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There’s no point in fine-tuning trade entry if you’re going on tilt every few weeks and giving back all your gains, right?
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So, pick the area that would benefit most from improvement.
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Let’s say, for argument’s sake it’s win rate…
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​You’ve looked at your stats and decided that an increase in win rate would really support your bottom line.
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So, you start from that ultimate goal (improved win rate) and work back.

SMARTER FRAMEWORK

Remember the SMARTER framework:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Relevant
  • Time Bound
  • Evaluated
  • Readjusted

Let’s compare:

  • Loose goal: To improve trade win rate
  • SMARTER goal: Improve my win rate from 35% to 40% within six months by refining entry criteria, tracking outcomes weekly, and eliminating low-probability trades through consistent review and adjustment.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Specific

Focus on refining entry criteria to ensure you’re only taking high-probability setups that align with your strategy. Avoid marginal trades and FOMO.

Measurable

Track your win rate weekly and monthly. Use a trading journal to record the outcome of every trade and calculate your rolling win rate to monitor progress.

Achievable

Break the improvement into smaller steps. Aim for a 1% increase in win rate every 6 weeks by eliminating poorly planned trades and optimising execution.

Relevant

Improving your win rate will enhance your confidence and overall profitability. A better win rate aligns with your goal of being a more consistent trader.

Time-Bound

Achieve a consistent 40% win rate within 6 months by committing to regular reviews and strategy adjustments.

Evaluated

Review your journal weekly to identify patterns in losing trades. Ask: Are you entering too early? Ignoring setups? Mismanaging risk?

Readjusted

If win rate improvements plateau, reassess your strategy, tweak your criteria for high-probability trades, or adjust timeframes for better alignment with market conditions.

This detailed and specific action plan helps you.

  1. Stay committed to the process
  2. Avoid frustration with slow progress
  3. Increase your likelihood of achieving the goal

And if you get this process nailed you can deploy the tactic whenever you need in your trading journey…

Give it a go.