Staying up late watching the candlestick chart, eyes red like a rabbit, fingers repeatedly hovering over the stop-loss button—many people have probably experienced this feeling. There was a time when I even deleted all trading apps, vowing never to touch this thing again.

Last year's market crash, I was completely devastated. Over two million in capital, watching it shrink to nearly zero. That suffocating feeling, the need to take a deep breath every time I opened my account—thinking back, it still gives me chills. I was truly desperate then, even a bit self-destructive.

But you know, the crypto world is like a magnet. You think you can stay away, but somehow it always finds a way to pull you back in. At the start of this year, I had only about 20,000 USDT left, and I decided to give myself one last chance. Honestly, my mindset at that time was: either turn things around by the rules or completely give up.

It was this determined, all-or-nothing attitude, combined with a few principles I later summarized, that helped my account climb from 20,000 to nearly 550,000. But I want to make it clear: I’m not sharing a get-rich-quick story. Instead, I want to share the real mindset on how to survive in this market and achieve consistent profits.

**First: Always keep 30% of your ammunition in reserve**

I used to be a reckless gambler, throwing everything into a position as soon as I saw a clear direction. The result? When the market turned, my mentality collapsed. Now I have a strict rule: the maximum position size is 40% of my total funds—no more.

What’s the benefit of this 40%? If that trade loses, I still have enough bullets to continue operating. I also use a layered position-building method: start by investing 20% of the total funds to test the waters. If the trend is correct and profits are in, then consider adding more. I never go all-in at once. This approach might not yield the maximum profit per trade, but it allows me to survive longer and stay stable.

**Second: Don’t be a prophet, follow the trend**

I used to obsess over trying to find market tops and bottoms, often getting stuck in the middle. Later, I gave up that idea. Now, it’s just two words: follow the trend. No guessing, no estimating—just look at the current trend and follow it.

During an uptrend, look for entry opportunities; during a downtrend, avoid or exit; during sideways movement, just rest. It sounds simple, but executing it requires discipline—you’ll see others making huge profits by bottom-fishing, and you’ll see many successful cases shared in social circles. But remember, those loud voices are often survivor bias. Sticking to trend trading has saved me from losing a lot of unnecessary money.

**Third: Stop-loss is your lifeline**

This point can’t be repeated enough. Setting a stop-loss isn’t about admitting defeat; it’s about protecting yourself. My approach is to decide on the stop-loss point before entering each trade, set it properly, and then not change it once in the trade. Usually, I set the stop-loss between 8% and 12% of my capital, and I stick to it—no luck, no fantasies.

In the long run, disciplined stop-losses allow me to achieve positive returns every month. Not every trade is profitable, but overall, the account steadily grows. This stability reduces much of the psychological stress compared to accounts with wild swings.

Looking back, from a 2 million loss to now bouncing back, the biggest takeaway isn’t how much money I made, but understanding the market’s temperament and my own personality. The market is always there, opportunities are always present. The key is whether you live long enough to catch your wave. So instead of obsessing over soaring to the sky, it’s better to learn how to survive—how to live steadily.