When I first started with contracts, I also dreamed of getting rich overnight. 10x leverage, 20x leverage—the numbers jumped around on the screen, and it felt like the money was right in front of me. I was trading ETH, thinking this wave was a sure thing.

But what happened? My principal evaporated like water; it took several liquidations before I realized—this thing isn’t an ATM, it’s a meat grinder.

Later, a buddy came to me with only $3,700 left in his account. He said he was tired and didn’t want to mess around anymore, and asked if I could help him play it safe.

I laid down three ground rules: Don’t chase those crazy meme coin hypes, don’t go all-in or randomly add to positions, and you must cut losses when it’s time. Sounds timid? At least you’ll survive.

During the first month, he traded very lightly, as if testing the waters. By the second month, he started getting the hang of it—he didn’t hesitate to enter when it was time, and he didn’t drag his feet when it was time to exit. He caught the ZEC move, and didn’t miss the PIPPIN trade either.

Four months later, his account was well over $100,000. After another two months, he had $410,000 in hand.

A lot of people think this was just luck. I don’t see it that way. There are opportunities in the market every day, but very few people can actually hold onto them. Most people don’t lose because they can’t read the market, but because they can’t stick to their positions—greed kicks in and all discipline is forgotten.

Contracts can make you take off, or wipe you out. The difference is whether it’s your impulses that get amplified, or your composure.

Going from $3,700 to $410,000 wasn’t about making godlike predictions—it was about rhythm and execution. If you want to survive in this market, simply scrolling social feeds won’t help; you have to really buckle down and make a plan.