8 Bloody Years in Crypto: From Three Account Burns to $150 Million Monthly Income

Iron Discipline + Contradictory Trading – The Key to Surviving Every Cycle 3:00 AM. The phone screen displays a cold message: “Account Balance: 0.00 USDT.” I sit motionless for dozens of minutes. This is the third account burn in just two years. Not only did the 80,000 yuan initial capital vanish, but the additional 120,000 yuan deposited afterward also disappeared completely. Ashes from cigarettes cover the table, filled with cigarette butts. On the wall are numerous notes: FOMO – leverage – trusting others. All are “tombs” of previous wrong decisions. Three burns – three different kinds of stupidity: First time, all-in on an unknown coin just because someone in the group boasted “x3 in one day.” The next day, the project disappeared. Second time, trusting “experts” to set trades, using 20x leverage to force ETH to correct. Early morning liquidation made me realize it was just a short-term scalp. Third time, after a few days of self-learning K-line candles, confidently full margin. A slight market shake was enough to wipe out the account. After that, I understood one thing: 👉 If you don’t change your mindset, no matter how much money you add, it’s just giving your money to the market to swallow. I spent half a year sitting back, reviewing each trade, not looking for “winning trades,” but finding reasons for my losses. And I realized three truths that go against human instincts but are the foundation for long-term survival in crypto.

1. Waiting Is More Important Than Acting Previously, I traded dozens of orders every day. Transaction fees were already a big expense, but the only result was: the more I traded, the more I lost. An experienced trader once told me: “Try one week just watching charts, no placing orders.” I followed. Every time I wanted to buy, I just noted it down. After a week, I was shocked: 👉 Over 70% of the ‘opportunities’ I thought were golden were actually just short-term pump-and-dump traps or brief volatility swings. I don’t get addicted to trading; I’m addicted to the feeling of placing orders. From then on, I set a rule: Only enter trades when all three signals align: Price breaks through a significant resistance zone with continuous volume increase over 3 daysWhen correcting, do not break support levelsMain indicators ( trend – momentum – volume) consensus Results: 👉 Win rate increased from ~30% to over 70%. In crypto: Longevity is more important than quick gains. Most losses come from the fear of “missing out.”
2. Cutting Losses Is Insurance for Your Account Both initial burns stemmed from one thought: “Wait a little longer for a rebound…” Wrong direction but unwilling to admit it – that’s the fastest way to bankruptcy. I set a strict rule: Every trade must have a stop-lossMaximum loss of 8%, then exit immediately, no debate, no hope. Once I bought ADA, the price dropped nearly 7%, hitting the stop-loss. I cut the trade. That afternoon, ADA rebounded 5%. I didn’t re-enter. Three days later, ADA fell over 20%. 👉 I preserved my capital, while others got stuck. Mathematics in trading is ruthless: Loss of 50% → needs 100% gain to break even Therefore: Cutting losses is more important than taking profits. Leverage doesn’t kill you – refusing to cut losses does.
3. Not Chasing Is Real Profit Last year, I bought DOT at 1.2 USDT. When it rose to 2.8 USDT, the group shouted: “Target 5 USDT!” I did the opposite: Sell 50%, recover capital + profitRemaining half set a stop-profit at 2.5 USDT A few days later, DOT dropped to 2.3 USDT. 👉 I had already booked a profit of 120,000 yuan. Those waiting for 5 USDT? 👉 All got trapped. I realized: Not withdrawing profits is just an illusion. I have a habit: Periodically transfer profits out of the exchangePush myself to “self-hypnotize”: only the profits that are withdrawn are truly mine. Crypto makes you feel rich very quickly, but it can also take it away just as fast if you’re greedy. My Contradictory Trading System After many years of paying tuition, I built my own system: 🔹 Capital Management Each trade no more than 10% of total capitalOnly increase position when in profit ( pyramid structure) 🔹 Discipline for Cutting Losses Maximum 2% loss per tradeNo exceptions 🔹 Emotional Control Loss of 3% in a day → delete trading app for 24 hoursMandatory rest to avoid revenge trading 🔹 Taking Profits Monthly profit >20% → withdraw 10%Ensure real money is in hand Currently, I: Periodically DCA with 20% of monthly salaryTrade less but more reliablyAccount balance grows slowly but steadily Sincere Advice for Beginners If you’re struggling or losing, remember: ❌ Avoid high leverageLeverage >10x is the root of 99% of account burns 5x lasts three times longer than 10x❌ Avoid “three no’s” coinsMarket cap <100 million, no code, no community → 90% are trash✅ Use only idle fundsAt least 3 years unused Never borrow or use margin✅ Withdraw profits regularlyEvery Friday, withdraw 30% of profits Create the feeling of “actually making money”✅ Keep a trading journalNot just recording orders, but also emotions during entry Conclusion In crypto: Your biggest enemy is not the market, but your own instincts. After 8 years and three account burns, I understand: There are no shortcutsThere are no guaranteed winning tradesOnly discipline + contrarian thinking can help you go the distance 👉 Stay on the right path, and money will come naturally. Hope this story helps you avoid the wrong paths I once took.