Daily Journal · Q2 2026
cutting TOPS for my first real loss, -$141
#TOPS
#redday
#risk
#micro-caps
#journal
-$141
realized this session · running total since April below
First losing day of my trading career, and honestly one of the cleaner ones. I sold all 1,300 shares of TOPS at about $0.90 against a blended cost near $1.01, taking a -$141 hit.
Why I'm not bothered by this one
The position wasn't working, so I closed it. No averaging down, no waiting for it to “come back,” no re-entering an hour later to prove myself right. A roughly 11% loss on a small position is exactly what a losing trade is supposed to look like — unremarkable, survivable, and over quickly.
I'm dwelling on that because it's the standard I later failed to meet. In July I'd take a similar-sized bad entry and turn it into a $400 loss by refusing to leave it alone. Same mistake available here; I just didn't take it.
The difference between a $141 loss and a $400 loss usually isn't the entry. It's whether you accept the first one or go looking for a second.
Running total: +$3,383. Still holding BATL.
Disclaimer: This is a personal trading journal documenting my own trades and opinions. It is not financial or investment advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Day trading, swing trading, and micro-cap stocks carry a high risk of loss, and most active traders lose money. Figures are reconstructed from my brokerage statement on an average-cost basis, net of fees. See the full disclaimer.