Living Long-Term Is the Greatest Asset in Crypto

In crypto, the most valuable thing has never been “Getting Rich Overnight,” but rather the ability to survive long enough to still have a chance to make money. Last year, I met a young person. His account only had 1,800 USDT, with eyes both hopeful and cautious. He straightforwardly said: “I don’t want to gamble. I want to learn something that can be used long-term.” I have met too many people who enter the market with dreams of changing their lives quickly. Most of them can’t last more than a few months. But he was different. After 3 months, his account grew to nearly 80,000 USDT, without a single liquidation. It’s not because of talent, and certainly not luck. It’s simply because he strictly adhered to 3 survival principles that I had to pay a high price in losses to figure out. Principle 1: Capital Allocation Is Not Advice, But a Lifeline The most common mistake among beginners is going all-in from the very first trade. When prices rise, they lose sleep from excitement; when prices fall, they panic and watch the chart minute by minute. I asked him to divide 1,800 USDT into 3 clear parts: 600 USDT for short-term trading: at most one trade per day, stay out if trend is unclear 600 USDT for trend-following trading: don’t enter if the trend is not confirmed 600 USDT as core capital: even in strong market volatility, do not touch Thanks to this division, during a sudden market drop, he didn’t panic, wasn’t swept away by emotions, and most importantly: he wasn’t eliminated from the game. In crypto, volatility is big enough to swallow anyone without a defense. Experienced traders understand: never let a wrong decision take away all your opportunities. Principle 2: Don’t Try to Catch the Whole Fish, Just Eat the Middle Part I told him very clearly: “You’re not a god. Don’t dream of catching the bottom, don’t think about selling at the top.” Most of the time, the market moves sideways and is noisy; impatient people will die gradually from transaction fees and meaningless entries. The strategy is very simple: No clear trend → consider the market as non-existent When a wave is formed → only eat the safest middle part Profit over 20% → take off 1/3 of the position, don’t argue with the market During a strong rally of ZEC, he didn’t get greedy, didn’t regret; he took nearly 30% profit and exited, textbook perfect. Successful investing doesn’t come from buying the lowest or selling the highest, but from repeating the right actions enough times. People who try to catch the peak often end up… halfway up the mountain. Principle 3: Trade Like a Machine, Not a Human This is the hardest principle, but also the most important. I set strict rules: Loss of 2% → cut immediately, no negotiation Profit of 4% → must reduce the position Initially, he resisted instinctively. Later, those very numbers saved his account many times. In trading, psychology is always more important than technique. When emotions dominate decisions, analysis becomes meaningless. Many think that just one trade can “recover everything.” But the market doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings or circumstances. A slight shake is enough to wipe out an undisciplined account. Before Discipline, Everyone Is Equal Yesterday, he told me: “Now I look at the chart and feel very calm. Cutting losses doesn’t hurt, holding positions doesn’t scare me.” This market is ruthless, but fair. It’s not the smartest who win, but those who stick to discipline the longest. If you still: Let emotions lead you Think that price swings mean entry signals Nurture illusions of overnight wealth Then sooner or later, the market will teach you a very expensive lesson. Crypto is like a mirror. It amplifies all weaknesses: greed, fear, impatience. Only when you maintain a steady mindset—not overly happy when prices rise, not panicked when they fall—can you go the distance. When your investing becomes a series of mechanical actions with clear rules, you’ve already outlasted most market participants. Discipline and principles—that’s the real “asset” in crypto. If you have your own trading rules, share them. We don’t need to go fast, just go long enough to stay in the game.