L2.2 — The Pre-Entry Checklist

A pre-entry checklist is a written set of conditions that must all be true before you execute a trade. It is the mechanism that enforces your rules when emotion is pushing you toward the entry button. Without it, your rules exist only in theory.

A minimal structural checklist: (1) higher-timeframe bias defined and documented; (2) setup aligns with bias direction; (3) key structural level identified and marked; (4) confirmation signal present at the level; (5) stop-loss placed at a structurally valid location; (6) position size calculated from the stop distance. If any item is missing, the trade does not happen.

The checklist is not bureaucracy. It is the difference between a professional process and a gambling habit. Trading without a checklist is making a series of individually justified but collectively inconsistent decisions. The checklist makes your process consistent so you can measure and improve it over time.