The entire trade

From start to finish, it's just these four steps, cycling repeatedly:
1. Waiting
When there's no opportunity or signal, do only one thing: wait. This is the longest phase of trading.
2. Opening a position
When a signal appears and conditions are met, enter decisively. This is a step in the execution system.
3. Stop loss
Admit when you're wrong, exit decisively, don't hold on, don't gamble, don't rely on luck. This is a life-saving step.
4. Take profit
When right, take it; when the time comes, close it; let the profit run. This is the step of closing.
After completing one cycle, return to waiting, and repeat. So there's really no need to complicate things: trading = waiting to open a position
Stop loss / take profit, then wait—just this cycle, for a lifetime.
See through human nature, do good trading.