Pre-Market Prep Checklist Card

The traders who last aren't the ones who never lose. They're the ones who never guess.

Jason Parker, Founder of Trading Habits

A static, one-page card you fill out by hand (or print) before the open. Not a scored quiz or an interactive tool — just a fixed set of prompts so pre-market prep happens the same way every session instead of whatever you remember to check that day.

Pre-Market Prep

Date: Session: Account:

1. Market Context

Overnight/futures direction noted:

Scheduled news/economic releases today:

Key levels marked on my primary watchlist chart(s)

Overall market condition (trend / range / choppy):

2. My Rules for Today

Max risk per trade today:

Daily loss limit (stop-trading trigger):

Max number of trades I'll take today:

Setup(s) I'm looking for today:

3. Personal Readiness

Slept enough to trade with a clear head

Not trading to "get back" money from a prior session

No major personal distraction competing for my attention right now

Reviewed yesterday's trades before today's open

4. Platform & Orders

Platform/data feed confirmed working

Any open orders or positions from yesterday reviewed

Watchlist loaded and alerts set

Notes / One Thing to Watch Today

How to use this card

Fill it out before every session, not just on days something feels off — the value is in the repetition, not just having it available.
Print several copies at once, or save as a PDF and fill it out digitally each morning.
This card has no scoring and gives no recommendation. It's a fixed prompt list, not a go/no-go decision tool. If you want a scored readiness check instead, see the related tools below.

Not financial advice: This template is an organizational aid only. It does not evaluate your specific trades, account, or risk tolerance, and completing it is not a guarantee of any trading outcome. See our Terms of Service for full disclosures.