The most terrifying thing about trading is not the loss itself. What’s truly frightening is knowing you can stop the bleeding but still choosing to gamble on a rebound; knowing you should lock in profits but watching your gains disappear out of greed. Take profit and stop loss—these four words sound simple, but for crypto traders, they are the line between life and death.

I’ve also taken this detour. When I first entered the crypto world, I lost 10% on a single trade. I didn’t sell, waiting for a rebound. What happened? The more I waited, the more I lost—sliding from 10% to 50% before I was forced to cut my losses. That lesson was deeply etched in my memory. And then there was the greed to take profit—earning 20% and being unsatisfied, insisting on waiting for a double, only for the market to turn around and wipe out all the profits, even turning into a loss.

Since then, I set a strict rule for myself: before opening a position, determine the take profit and stop loss ratios, and stick to them without hesitation. Take profits when the target is reached, and don’t be tempted by further gains; when the stop loss is hit, close your position immediately, regardless of whether you still hold onto hope.

The essence of this lifeline is actually learning to accept imperfection. Accept that you won’t always take all profits, accept occasional small exits. No matter how much BTC or ETH rises, it’s more reassuring to secure your current profits. In this market, which can swallow people whole, staying alive steadily is far more valuable than dreaming of sudden wealth.