Newbies die in their emotions; those who survive two bull and bear cycles rely on discipline.

After years of navigating the market, my deepest realization is: technology is not the main issue; the problem lies in impatience. Many people want to reach the top in one step, only to find themselves repeatedly stuck in a quagmire of losses. I've seen too many stories of margin calls, and it turns out it's not because of insufficient technical analysis, but because of weak rule awareness.

Here are eight survival rules hammered out with real money, sharing with everyone.

**Rule 1: Use the big cycle to set the direction, small cycle to find entry points**
Opening a position without understanding the daily chart is a matter of life and death. No matter how precise your short-term technical analysis is, if the overall direction is wrong, it's useless. Imagine trading against the big trend on a short-term basis; even if you win once or twice, you'll eventually get eaten.

**Rule 2: When the trend isn't clear, stay out of the market**
The thrill of going against the tide is enjoyable, but the cost is a lifetime of losses. Trading with the trend has the lowest cost. Instead of guessing the direction, wait patiently until the trend is truly clear before acting. The benefit of this approach is that when the opportunity arrives, your win rate is already on your side.

**Rule 3: Capital is the engine; avoid trading without volume**
Short-term trading relies on capital momentum; this is a market law. Coins with no trading volume or heat are just paying transaction fees to the exchange. When you like a coin, first check its market participation; if the heat isn't up, wait a bit longer.

**Rule 4: Every trade must have a plan**
Before entering a position, ask yourself three questions: Why am I entering? Where is my stop-loss? What is my target? Impulsive trades are mostly emotional decisions—either cutting losses or getting caught. Write it down and follow through; it's much more rational than making snap decisions.

**Rule 5: Take responsibility for your results; don't be swayed by market noise**
Listen to others' opinions, but only as a reference. No matter how convincing, it's your money at stake. The market daily creates anxiety and FOMO; ultimately, the decision-making power must be in your hands. Only then can you truly learn from mistakes instead of blaming external factors.

**Rule 6: Set the big picture first, then choose specific coins**
This is the most critical rule. If the overall direction is correct, even a slightly weaker coin can recover over time; if the direction is wrong, no matter how good the coin, your account can't be saved. Many people focus on researching individual coins desperately, ignoring the overall trend, and end up unable to hold onto their gains.

**Rule 7: Wait for a strong structure before entering; don't try to catch the bottom or escape the top**
The bottom is created, not guessed. Many confidently say, "The bottom is here," only to get swept away repeatedly. Instead of trying to bottom-fish, be patient and wait for the right-side signals before entering. It may seem slow, but the risk is much lower.

**Rule 8: After big gains or big losses, forcibly hit the pause button**
When your account doubles or retraces 20%, emotions are most likely to spiral out of control. At this point, your win rate drops significantly. Take a day off, review your trades, and reflect—it's much more valuable than continuing to trade. Calm your mind, and the quality of your next trades will improve noticeably.

**The essence of rules is to fight human nature**

The harsh reality in crypto is: 90% of losses come from discipline breakdowns. It's not that the technology is lacking; it's that the rules that should be followed aren't being adhered to. Trading is actually simple—at its core, it’s about using systems to lock in risk and rules to suppress the two monsters: greed and fear.

These eight rules may seem like common sense, but those who can stick to them for a year are already in the top 10% of the market. Most people die at the point of knowing but failing to act accordingly. To survive longer in the crypto space and move from near liquidation to stable profits, this set of rules is the answer. There are no shortcuts—only discipline.