Honestly, I am not the chosen one. I've been liquidated, pulled all-nighters countless times, seen accounts wiped to zero in an instant... The worst was staying awake all night, staring at the charts like waiting for a verdict. It took me a while to realize: this is not a casino, but a survival game that tests vitality and patience. The longer you survive, the more you win. My strategy has now shifted—no all-in, no chasing highs, no short-term trading—yet the returns have become more stable. I want to share five rules I’ve discovered; they may not be exciting, but they are practical.

**Timing is the primary productivity**

Don’t make reckless moves during the day. Bombarded with news, market makers dumping, media hype, retail FOMO... prices go crazy, and you get cut in eight out of ten attempts when rushing in. I’ve developed a habit: only consider trading after 9 PM. This time coincides with the US and European market close, market sentiment settles, and once a real trend emerges, it’s rock solid.

For example, last week, a DeFi token was hyped up to rise 20% during the day, but by evening, it was slapped back down. I waited until 9:30 to see a key breakout before jumping in, and I safely secured 15% profit. Less noise, clearer signals—that’s the core logic.

**Profitability requires a "OCD" mindset**

What’s the first reaction when making money? Immediately withdraw some. For instance, if my account gains 1000 USDT, I’ll transfer 400 USDT to a cold wallet right away. Many think this is too conservative, but it’s actually a survival rule.

Money left on the exchange is just virtual numbers; risking it again might wipe everything out. Here’s a harsh statistic: 83% of liquidations in a bull market happen after profits are made when traders leverage up chasing gains. Because of this habit, I avoided the crash in May—by then, I had already withdrawn my profits and pulled out my principal. Even if the market drops, it’s just a game of numbers.

**Be aware of market cycles**

Macro signals like the Fed’s rate cut expectations directly influence market rhythm. Don’t get dazzled by short-term ups and downs; know where you are in the cycle. Uptrend, consolidation, downtrend—each requires a different approach. My habit is to review higher-level charts weekly, so I know whether to strike or stay dormant.

These five rules aren’t some profound theories, but lessons learned from losses and liquidations. The hardest part of crypto isn’t predicting rises or falls; it’s surviving long enough.