This part of the market action is the easiest to misjudge. On the surface it keeps ranging sideways, but the order book clearly feels a bit flimsy. I watched it start around 277.1, and after several pump attempts it still couldn’t hold. After every spike, it would drop right back, like it was repeatedly bleeding the people who chased longs. Saying I wasn’t anxious would be a lie—once the grind goes on long enough, your hands really start to itch.

At the time, I didn’t rush to chase shorts, because price was still oscillating. If I acted directly, it would be easy to get wicked out. Later, when I saw the rebound getting weaker and the sell pressure didn’t disappear, that’s when I confirmed it wasn’t a strong consolidation—it looked more like slow loosening after being under pressure at the high.

When the price moved to 188.4, this trade ultimately ended at +1541.54%. The pullbacks in the middle were pretty grueling; holding a short wasn’t easy either. But as long as there wasn’t real follow-through, the short-term swings weren’t worth making me change my plan.

Once you’ve been in the crypto space long enough, you’ll know that the most dangerous thing is often not the obvious sell-off, but something that looks strong while, in reality, nobody is willing to keep taking it. This result wasn’t something luck handed me. More than anything, it came from resisting the urge to chase after pumps, and also from not getting worn down by the sideways chop into bailing early. Once the rhythm is right, the market naturally gives you feedback.

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