The crypto market is like a mirror, ruthlessly reflecting each participant's psychological weaknesses.

Thinking back to the downturn two years ago, my account was cut in half from its peak. That period was truly tough—sleepless nights every night, weight loss, and even thoughts of completely quitting. But in hindsight, it was that experience that kept me alive and helped me understand what true market wisdom is.

**The pitfalls that retail investors step into are often the same**

Observing many people around me who are losing money, they share a common pattern: they refuse to cut losses when prices fall, always hoping to break even; once prices rise a little, they immediately sell, fearing the gains will slip away. When I first entered the scene, I was the same. I bought a coin, held on through a 20% drop, only for it to continue falling to 70%, and I was forced to cut losses. The heartbreaking part was that the price started rebounding just a few days after I sold.

That’s when I realized a principle: **Profits require patience over a longer cycle, while losses should be cut quickly**. These eight words sound simple, but fewer than 20% of retail investors actually do it. If you can implement this rule effectively, it’s enough to beat most people.

**Volume is the most honest language of the market**

A detail in trading that is often overlooked is the change in trading volume.

What does a shrinking volume during an upward move mean? It indicates that selling pressure is not strong, and market consensus is building. This kind of trend usually has room to grow. Conversely, if the price breaks a key support level but trading volume shrinks, it’s likely a short-term adjustment, and institutions are accumulating for a new entry opportunity.

What is the most dangerous signal? A sudden surge in volume—an explosion of trading activity. This often means the main players are offloading, and the top is near. After experiencing several such trends, I know to step back when I see a volume spike.

**Discipline is the insurance policy for your trading account**

Many people ask how I’ve managed to survive until now. Honestly, it’s not because I’m particularly smart, but because I set rules and never break them.

Set your stop-loss points before entering a trade, take profits when your target is reached, and don’t gamble on the market continuing in your favor. It sounds boring, but it’s this kind of “boring” discipline that has allowed me to survive the two-year bear market.

Some friends around me are more talented than I am, with good analytical skills, but due to poor execution, they eventually exited the market. So now I believe: **90 points of execution + average analysis > perfect analysis + 50 points of execution**.

The market is always there. What’s urgent isn’t the market itself, but our patience.