There is a "common saying" in the crypto trading circle — small stop-losses, high take-profits. It sounds like a golden rule of risk control, but in practice, it often leads to losing your principal.

Why is that? It seems to be about controlling risk and chasing big gains, but in reality, it falls into the dead end of "small losses keep happening, big gains are forever out of reach."

The root cause lies in the odds structure. Setting a stop-loss at 1%-2% in such a highly volatile market environment means that a normal correction can wipe you out, leaving only the trading fees as your profit. Setting the take-profit target too high results in a low probability of triggering; you end up waiting every day, but are instead overwhelmed by frequent small stop-losses.

How do those traders who truly survive think?

**Stop-loss based on logic, not on percentage** — Don’t get stuck on fixed percentages; instead, watch whether key support levels are broken or if the trend reverses.

**Take-profit in stages** — Don’t try to eat the whole pie at once. When the price reaches your target, lock in some profits first, and use a trailing stop to protect the rest.

**Focus on overall odds** — Single losses can be larger, but you must ensure that your win rate and profit margins are positively aligned.

Trading, in essence, is about repeatedly executing a combination of "high win rate + good odds." It’s not about luck, but about having a probability advantage.

If you’re still being repeatedly hit by small stop-losses and waiting forever for high take-profits, it means your parameters are fundamentally at odds with your internal conflicts. Instead of rigidly sticking to surface rules, it’s better to adjust your mindset and position yourself on the side of probability.