Money left on the table

The formula

Sum, per trade, of what it offered at its best moment minus what you banked (never negative).

How to read it

The money the market offered that you didn't take. High = recurring early exits.

This total is not recoverable lost income, and that is the most important thing to understand. Nobody exits at the top. What matters is its trend month after month and its breakdown by setup: if it concentrates on one configuration, it is that configuration's target that is mis-set, not your discipline.

The classic mistake

Using it to blame yourself for every exit. A trader chasing this figure pushes targets higher, watches winners come back to break-even, and sees P&L fall while money left on the table falls too. The two figures must never be optimised together.