Strict position control, strict discipline, surviving is more important than making money.

Friends, do you feel like the futures market is just a bottomless pit—no matter how much you invest, you can lose just as much? Do you always feel like you’re making the wrong decisions at the wrong times, buying when it drops and selling when it rises? Don’t blame yourself; you’re not alone in this. Today, let’s talk about the trading lessons learned with real money.

**The first trap: Restless fingers**

A very typical symptom: as long as there is spare money in the account, you feel uncomfortable and want to be in the market 24/7. What’s the result? The more frequently you trade, the bigger your losses; the bigger your losses, the more you want to trade, trapping yourself in a vicious cycle. I’ve been through this phase myself, even thinking that not opening a position means missing out on billions of dollars. In the end? You pay a bunch of fees, and your account gets thinner and thinner.

What do true trading experts mostly do? They wait. They are like snipers, patiently waiting for that high-probability opportunity, then striking decisively. When there’s no opportunity, they do nothing instead of wandering around the market aimlessly.

**The second trap: The dream of both long and short**

Symptoms: switching from long to short, trying to catch every tiny fluctuation. What does the final bill look like? Fees eat up most of the profits, and you’re still comforting yourself with small gains.

The market isn’t your family business; it’s impossible to catch every fluctuation. Real money is in the trend. When a bullish trend is clear, go long decisively; don’t always chase those small rebounds. When a bear market arrives, focus on shorting. Don’t treat the market like an ATM; its complexity far exceeds your imagination.