This market is never about IQ; it's about whether you can control yourself.

In 2017, I went all in on a certain altcoin, and my account balance jumped from 50,000 to 1,200,000. During that time, I was feeling on top of the world; someone in the group called me "teacher," and when I posted my earnings on social media, my fingers were trembling. I always opted for private cars when taking a taxi, and even felt that chatting about blockchain with the driver was beneath me.
Then what? At the beginning of 2018, the market crashed, and I refused to cut my losses, always thinking to myself, "There’s still a chance to turn things around." In the end, my account shrank to only 80,000.
After ten years of struggle, the most painful thing is not losing money, but realizing that I could have protected my profits, yet I succumbed to my own little sense of luck.
In this circle, the pitfalls I've encountered are more valuable than the money I've earned. Here are a few hard-earned lessons to share:
**Rule 1: Stop-loss line must not be touched**
Now I have set a strict rule for myself—single transaction losses must not exceed 2% of the principal. Cut it off immediately, and don't entertain any nonsense about "main force washing the盘."
If you lose 20%, you need to gain 25% to break even; if you lose half, you need to double your investment to recover. This time cost is something you cannot afford.
**Article 2: Withdraw principal in batches when making money**
Double it first and get the principal back, then feel free to play with the remaining profits.
During the Dogecoin market surge in 2021, I withdrew 30% every time it increased by 50%. In the end, my principal was already secured, and I wasn't worried even when my profits rolled up to 30 times.
**Article 3: Do not touch contract leverage**
I have seen too many stories of people making ten times their money in three days, only to lose it all in one night.
High leverage is the pit that the platform digs for you; they earn money from the amount you lose when you get liquidated.
**Article 4: Altcoins can only be played with small positions**
Do not exceed 10% of total positions, so that fluctuations won’t cause a collapse in mindset. Invest mainly in Bitcoin and Ethereum—while dark horses may make you rich, the steady ones can help you survive until the end.
Now I am unwaveringly committed to doing two things: I always check my position's profit and loss before sleep, and I clear my position even at 3 a.m. if it hits the stop-loss line; I record every transaction, marking losses in red ink, forcing myself to review where I made mistakes.
Ten years have passed, and those "masters" in the group have long disappeared. The ones who truly remain are the ones who seem very foolish: they don't chat in the group, they don't chase trends, and during bull markets, they even earn less than others—but when the bear market comes, they still have ammunition in hand.
The most heart-wrenching truth in this circle is: smart people want to seize every opportunity, while disciplined people only grasp the one they can control.
A bull market relies on luck, while a bear market tests one's skills.
I used to stumble around in the dark, but now I hold a light in my hand.