When my account balance flashed 280,000, I stood by the window and looked for a long time. The world downstairs was still bustling, but that sound was like it was behind a layer of膜— as if all the繁华had nothing to do with me anymore.

This is how it feels after six years of crawling and fighting in the crypto market. Starting from borrowing 20,000 yuan from relatives in the early days, to now having 36 million in the account, I haven't relied on any "inside information," nor have I caught those crazy bull runs where you can make money with your eyes closed. It’s all thanks to a "foolish enough to make my peers laugh at me" strategy, which has kept me alive until now.

But don’t be blinded by this number. I’ve seen myself crying in front of the screen at 3 a.m. during a liquidation, and I’ve experienced the despair of trembling fingers unable to click the mouse during a forced sell-off. At my worst, I even had to rely on my family to cover rent. After over 3,000 days and nights, I’ve realized one thing: the crypto market has never been about who can run faster, but about who can survive longer.

**Volume is the true ruler of the market; candlestick charts are just its report card**

Many people focus on the ups and downs of candlestick charts, like only looking at exam scores but ignoring the learning process— they simply don’t understand the essence. Remember these two signals:

One is a slow decline with occasional rapid surges— this usually indicates that big funds are quietly "absorbing" shares, gradually lifting the bottom. The other is a sudden surge followed by a "waterfall" crash— this is a sign that they are about to start tightening the net. I have a friend who chased a rapid upward candlestick and got completely cut in the same day. The reason is simple: he only looked at the price, not the volume.

**The core of trading strategy: surviving is 100 times more important than making quick money**

The cruelest part of the crypto market isn’t how deep the decline is, but how many make suicidal decisions at critical moments. Full position, chasing rallies, stubbornly holding— any one of these can knock you out. I’ve seen accounts drop from 1 million to 100,000, and I’ve seen people hold onto the "bottom" only to find a deeper pit waiting.

Those who truly survive share a common understanding: always leave yourself a way out. Position management isn’t about being conservative; it’s about respecting market volatility. A full cycle can take 3-5 years, and you must have enough "ammunition" to withstand any sudden plunge along the way.

**Data doesn’t lie, but emotions do**

When everyone is talking about a certain coin "taking off," that’s actually the moment you should pay close attention to the market. The most dangerous situation isn’t a bear market, but when the entire internet is bullish in unison. Usually, by then, there are no new buyers left— only the rotation of chips.

Conversely, when the whole market is screaming "It’s going to die," the bottom is actually forming. I saw the most brutal wave of liquidations in 2023, but three months later, those coins that were sold off had tripled in value. It’s not that I have some prophetic ability, but I know not to be carried away by emotions.

**To sum up: the most expensive lesson in this industry is learned with real money**

From 20,000 to 36 million, every loss along the way was a tuition fee. But it’s precisely because of these costs that I can now stay calm when analyzing the market. The crypto market is always testing human nature, not your technical understanding. Knowing when to be greedy, when to be fearful, and when to do nothing— that’s the most valuable skill.