When I first entered the crypto market, I often looked for reasons for my losses. The market was bad, the whales were washing the market, the market was too extreme—somehow it always seemed like every problem was caused by something external. It wasn’t until after going through a few big drawdowns that I finally admitted one fact: many times, what actually makes you lose money isn’t the market—it’s your own greed.

I remember one time my account was around 40k USDT. At that point, I had just been through a winning streak, and my account was in great shape. That’s when people are most likely to make mistakes, because making money can give you a false sense of confidence, making you think you’ve already figured out the market’s rules. When a new trend started, I entered early and made some profit at first. According to my plan, I should have taken profit and exited, but when I saw the price keep rising, I started imagining that I could make even more. Then the market suddenly reversed. The profit slowly slipped away, and in the end it even turned into a loss. That moment made me realize: many people aren’t incapable of making money—they just don’t know when they should be satisfied.

Later, I set a few hard rules for myself. First, profits must be realized—don’t treat unrealized gains as real money. Second, don’t increase your position size just because you’re making money. Third, don’t chase the last leg of a rally—when the market is most疯狂 (frantic), risk is usually at its highest. Fourth, after a loss, don’t rush to get back to even. Fifth, always leave an exit for your trades. Sixth, position size determines your mindset—if the position size is wrong, you won’t be able to hold even if your judgment is right. Seventh, wait patiently—don’t trade just for the sake of trading.

Now that I’m trading, I’ve been increasingly drawn to simplicity. In the past, I thought about catching the biggest wave. Now I focus more on whether each trade can be carried out according to plan. Because people who truly make a living from trading don’t rely on becoming rich in one go—they rely on long-term stability.

Recently, market sentiment is still very active, and many people have started chasing hot spots again. But the more like this it is, the more we need to stay calm. There are plenty of opportunities, and there are just as many risks. I don’t call trades, and I don’t talk about any quick-doubling methods. I only share the traps I’ve stepped into from years of live trading. In the end, trading isn’t about greed—it’s about self-control.