Recently, an old trader came to me complaining, looking completely dejected. He said his market judgment was fine, and he stubbornly held for several days, but in the end, his patience was gradually worn down by the fees. What’s even more heartbreaking is that just at the moment of liquidation, the market suddenly surged.

My answer to him was very straightforward: Your vision is correct, but you lost to the rules of the market.

Most people trading contracts think that if they get the direction right, they’ve already won. But in reality, what allows you to survive in the market isn’t whether you can guess the candlestick patterns correctly, but those overlooked details—the "hidden knives" set by the market.

First and foremost is the funding fee. It seems insignificant, but in fact, it’s silently bleeding you dry. No matter how right your position is, as long as you’re on the unfavorable side, the longer you hold, the more your principal is eroded. Many people don’t lose to the market itself, but to that word: "waiting."

Next is the misjudgment of the liquidation price. Thinking there’s still room to maneuver, but unaware that fees and slippage have already been quietly factored in. It may look like there’s still some distance from liquidation, but in reality, you’re already standing on the edge of a cliff.

And then there’s the tempting high leverage. Don’t see it as a shortcut; it’s just a speed booster. When profits double, it feels great; but when losses double, a single wave of volatility can knock you out immediately.

Those who truly go far in contracts are never about prediction skills. It’s about whether they understand boundaries and can stay calm. The market’s biggest fear isn’t that you made money once, but that after seeing through these tricks, you can still honestly follow the rules all the way through.