The Difference Between a Trading Rule and a Trading Excuse

"I moved my stop because the market was unusually volatile."

Was that part of a predefined rule, or an excuse created after the trade went against me?

The difference matters.

A legitimate rule should be clear enough to apply consistently, not invented whenever a decision becomes uncomfortable.

I review my actions honestly and ask whether I would make the same decision under similar conditions.

Rules should guide decisions before the outcome is known—not justify them afterward.