I've been in this circle for nearly ten years, seeing people double their money overnight, and also seeing others go completely to zero. Many in the community are searching for that "secret formula" to guarantee profits, but the harsh truth is—those who survive are never the smartest, but those who can discipline themselves the best. Today, I’ve compiled eight hardcore tips based on my real trading experiences—no complicated indicators, just how to avoid pitfalls and protect your principal.

**1. Properly plan your re-entries; greed can burn your hands**

I paid over a million in tuition to learn this lesson. When I was a beginner and got trapped, I would crazily add more funds and increase my position. When my bullets ran out, I still hadn’t seen the bottom, and in the end, I lost everything. Now, I only add to my position when the trend is still healthy. For example, if Bitcoin remains above the 60-day moving average and is slightly decreasing with reduced volume, it might just be a shakeout. Entering in several batches is fine. But if the price drops sharply through a key support level with a large volume, don’t be reckless—adding more is just throwing money away. Simply put, re-adding is to lower your average cost for a decent exit, not a gamble to turn things around. Overly greedy traders tend to die the fastest.

**2. The calmer the market, the closer the storm**

"The calmer the water, the fiercer the waves"—this is a signal I’ve observed that the main players are about to move. If the price consolidates for a long time, Bollinger Bands will tighten significantly, and trading volume will plummet. At this point, don’t get itchy to buy the dip and bet on the direction. Wait until a volume breakout occurs before following. Last year, SOL traded around $20 for nearly a month, then suddenly surged with high volume. I jumped in and tripled my profit—felt great. But I immediately cut losses on false breakouts (insufficient volume), avoiding unnecessary losses. Consolidation is a trap; those who can’t resist the boredom and gamble will eventually get violently shaken out.

**3. After a sharp rise, expect a pullback; don’t ignore triangle consolidations**

"After a coin’s price surges, it will definitely correct; when the K-line forms a triangle, be alert"—this rule has never failed me. Assets with large gains usually see fierce corrections. Moreover, if during the correction the K-line forms a symmetrical triangle or a range-bound pattern, be extra cautious, because the next move will either break upward or crash downward. When the direction is uncertain, set your stop-loss orders in advance—don’t wait until the trend chooses a direction and then react.