There are countless stories in the crypto world, but only those who survive are the winners.

Six years ago, a decision changed the course of my life. I poured half a year's savings into what was called a "100x opportunity," only for it to vanish into thin air in three days. It was more than just money—it almost destroyed my closest relationships. During that time, I truly understood that trading is not just a numbers game; behind every decision is a cost.

Looking back now, losses themselves are not the greatest gain. What’s truly valuable is the trading system I’ve developed over the years. It allows me to sleep peacefully at night and see my account balance steadily grow. Today, I want to share these experiences, earned with real money, without fancy theories—only the iron laws that the market has taught me.

**Rule 1: Rapid Gains ≠ Need to Run; Slow Dips Can Be Opportunities**

The most tormenting thing in the market isn’t a crash, but the pattern of "quick surge followed by slow grinding." After a sharp rise, a slow correction can lead to self-doubt—should I sell now or hold? Psychological defenses are repeatedly shattered.

But I’ve noticed a pattern: true market manipulators dump aggressively—"volume spikes followed by straight dives"—leaving no time for retail traders to play psychological games. Conversely, a gradual decline after a rise, especially when it stays above a support level, is often a shakeout. I experienced this on a mainstream coin—after a quick surge, it started to slowly retrace, but each time it held above key support. I held my position, and later, the market doubled.

It sounds simple, but execution requires a reference—weekly MACD. As long as the weekly MACD remains above zero, the overall trend isn’t broken. At this point, a slow dip on the daily chart might be an opportunity to add positions, not a signal to escape. A good long-term trend means short-term corrections are just noise.

**Rule 2: Don’t Be Greedy After a Flash Crash Rebounds; It Might Be the Final Blow**

"After such a big drop, it must rebound. If I don’t buy now, when will I?" This logic sounds perfect, but anyone who’s paid tuition knows how dangerous it is.

If, after a sharp decline, the price consolidates sideways with decreasing volume, it usually indicates a continuation of the downtrend, not a bottom. The big players are accumulating, not distributing. Any rebound at this stage could be a "trap"—luring the last batch of retail investors to buy in before further declines. I’ve seen too many get caught in this trap, watching the lows get broken repeatedly.

The safe approach is to wait for a clear volume-driven rebound, confirmed by technical signals (like a strong support level holding), before considering participation.

**Rule 3: Major Support Levels Are Critical; Break Them and Admit Defeat**

Some levels are almost magical—no matter how volatile the market, certain price points are tested repeatedly. This is usually not coincidence but a sign of repeated capital confirmation.

Once such a major support is effectively broken (usually confirmed by a closing price; a single wick doesn’t count), the trend truly changes. At this point, no matter how unwilling you are, stop-loss must be executed. The most expensive lesson I learned was resisting to average down, only to see the price continue falling and wipe out my position—much worse than taking a timely stop-loss.

**Final Words**

Trading ultimately tests not prediction ability but risk management and psychological resilience. Over these six years, I’ve used various indicators and strategies, but those who survive follow the same principle—respect the market trend, act according to rules, and don’t let a single mistake wipe out the entire account.

Wealth growth is the result, but the real gain is learning when to act, when to watch, and when to cut losses decisively. This system has freed me from being hostage to market volatility, and that’s the most valuable thing.