đź“Š Building Your Execution Playbook
Series: Execution Mastery
Read Time: 6 minutes
Skill Level: All Levels
🎯 From Random to Systematic
Most traders fail not because they can’t read charts, but because they can’t execute consistently. Every trade becomes a new decision. Should I use a market order? Where’s my stop? How much should I size? By the time you decide, the opportunity is gone.
An execution playbook eliminates decision fatigue.
It transforms trading from improvisation into performance art. You know exactly what to do because you’ve already decided—when you were calm, objective, and thinking clearly.
đź“‹ The Anatomy of an Execution Playbook
Your playbook is a living document that answers every execution question before it arises. It covers:
Core Components
1. Entry Protocols — How you get in
2. Exit Protocols — How you get out
3. Position Sizing Rules — How much you trade
4. Risk Management — How you protect capital
5. Market Condition Adjustments — How you adapt
🚪 Entry Protocols
Define by Setup Type
| Setup Category | Entry Method | Order Type | Timing |
| Breakout | 1-min candle close above level | Limit at breakout + $0.10 | 9:45-11:00 AM |
| Pullback | Touch of 20 EMA on 5-min | Limit at EMA touch | 10:00 AM-3:00 PM |
| Reversal | Confirmation candle close | Market on close | Anytime |
| Gap Fill | First 5-min high/low break | Stop entry | First 30 min |
Pre-Trade Checklist
Before ANY entry, confirm:
- Setup matches playbook definition
- Position size calculated
- Stop loss level identified
- Target level identified
- Risk/reward > 1:2
- Correlated positions checked
- Daily loss limit not exceeded
No checklist, no trade.
🚪 Exit Protocols
Define Exit Types
| Exit Type | Trigger | Order Type |
| Stop Loss | Technical invalidation | Market (guaranteed) |
| Profit Target | R-level reached or resistance | Limit |
| Time Stop | 5 days in trade | Market |
| Trailing Stop | ATR-based or moving average | Stop-market |
| Manual Override | Thesis invalidated | Market |
The Exit Decision Tree
`
Is price at target?
→ Yes → Scale out 50%, trail remainder
→ No → Is stop hit?
→ Yes → Exit full position
→ No → Is time stop hit?
→ Yes → Exit at market
→ No → Hold
`
đź“Š Position Sizing Rules
The Titan Framework
Base Risk: 1% of account per trade
| Confidence Level | Setup Quality | Risk % | Max Position Size |
| Conservative | Decent setup | 0.5% | $XX,XXX |
| Base Case | Strong setup | 1.0% | $XX,XXX |
| Aggressive | A+ setup, multiple confluence | 2.0% | $XX,XXX |
| Conviction | Exceptional, rare | 3.0% | $XX,XXX |
Account State Adjustments
| Account Condition | Adjustment | Rationale |
| New highs | Maintain base risk | Don’t get greedy |
| In drawdown (<5%) | Reduce to 0.75% | Preserve capital |
| In drawdown (>10%) | Reduce to 0.5% | Damage control |
| After 3 losses | Reduce to 0.5% | Break curse |
🛡️ Risk Management Rules
Hard Stops (Never Violated)
1. Per Trade: Max 2% risk
2. Per Day: Max 3% loss
3. Per Week: Max 5% loss
4. Correlated Exposure: Max 6% in same sector
Soft Stops (Guidelines)
1. Consecutive Losses: Stop after 3
2. Emotional State: No trading if angry/tired/sick
3. Market Conditions: Reduce size 50% in high VIX (>30)
🌊 Market Condition Adjustments
VIX-Based Sizing
| VIX Level | Market Regime | Position Size | Strategy Adjustment |
| <15 | Low vol / Trend | 100% | Standard playbook |
| 15-25 | Normal | 100% | Standard playbook |
| 25-35 | Elevated | 50% | Wider stops, fewer trades |
| >35 | Crisis | 25% | Only highest conviction |
Time-of-Day Adjustments
| Time Period | Spread/Slippage | Execution Approach |
| 9:30-9:45 | High | Paper trade only |
| 9:45-11:00 | Medium | Reduce size 25% |
| 11:00-2:00 | Low | Standard execution |
| 2:00-3:30 | Low | Standard execution |
| 3:30-4:00 | Medium | Reduce size 25% |
🧠Learn With Titan: Sample Playbook Section
Breakout Setup: Full Protocol
Setup Definition:
- Stock in consolidation >10 days
- Volume contraction during consolidation
- Clear resistance level (touched 2+ times)
- Relative strength vs. SPY
Entry Protocol:
1. Set alert at resistance level
2. Wait for 1-min candle close above
3. Place limit order at breakout + $0.05
4. If no fill in 2 minutes, cancel or chase with market
Position Size:
- Stop = Breakout level – 1 ATR
- Risk = 1% of account
- Shares = Risk $ / (Entry – Stop)
Exit Protocol:
- Stop: Technical level below breakout
- Target 1: 2R (scale 50%)
- Target 2: 4R (scale 25%)
- Trail final 25% with 3 ATR stop
Market Conditions:
- Skip if VIX >30
- Reduce size 50% if SPY below 20 DMA
- No breakout trades after 2 PM
🔄 Playbook Maintenance
Monthly Review
1. Win Rate by Setup — Which setups are working?
2. Average R by Setup — Which have best expectancy?
3. Slippage Analysis — Are fills matching expectations?
4. Emotional Trades — Which rules did you break?
Quarterly Updates
1. Add/Remove Setups — Based on performance data
2. Adjust Parameters — Stop distances, targets, sizing
3. Market Adaptation — Has market structure changed?
⚠️ Playbook Mistakes
1. Too many setups — 3-5 mastered > 15 mediocre
2. No written rules — Mental playbooks change under pressure
3. No review process — Playbooks must evolve with markets
4. Rigidity — Rules are guides, not prison bars
5. Copying without testing — What works for others may not work for you
🎯 Creating Your Playbook
Step 1: Document Current Approach
Write down everything you do now—even if it’s inconsistent.
Step 2: Identify Decisions
Highlight every point where you make a choice during a trade.
Step 3: Create Rules
Turn choices into if-then statements.
Step 4: Test and Refine
Paper trade your playbook for 20 trades minimum.
Step 5: Go Live Gradually
Start with 25% size until you follow the playbook consistently.
đź’ˇ The Titan Edge
Your playbook is your trading identity. It’s how you express your edge in the market. Without it, you’re a gambler hoping for luck. With it, you’re a professional executing a proven system. The time to create it is now—before the next trade, not after the next loss.
🛠️ Practice Exercise
This week, create one page of your playbook:
1. Pick your highest-conviction setup
2. Write exact entry rules
3. Define position sizing formula
4. Specify all exit scenarios
5. Paper trade it 10 times
6. Refine based on results
One perfect page beats an empty binder. Start there.
