After several years of trading contracts, my biggest realization is: surviving is more important than making quick profits.

I've seen people get rich overnight by watching the market at 3 a.m., and I've seen them wipe out their accounts the next day. Those who truly take root in this market never rely on one lucky trade, but on the principles ingrained in their bones.

I've paid my fair share of tuition as well. From getting slapped by the market over and over in the beginning to now being able to survive relatively steadily, it's all thanks to these habits I've slowly developed:

**Always leave yourself a way out.** Control your position size whenever you can. Even if it looks like a sure thing, go in with half. There are plenty of opportunities in the market; losing your principal is the real end.

**If you’re wrong twice in a row, stop trading.** If you keep misjudging the same coin, it's not a technical issue—it means your emotions are off. The best thing to do is step away and calm down, not force it.

**Decide on your stop loss before opening a trade.** This is where I’ve suffered the biggest losses. I thought I was right and didn’t set protection, only to get wiped out by a sudden price spike. Even a small stop loss is better than liquidation.

**If the market lacks rhythm, stay away.** When trading volume is low, prices are choppy, and market sentiment is scattered, it’s hard to hold on to profits even if you enter. In this kind of market, it’s better to just watch.

**Don’t get jealous of other people’s trades.** Whenever I see someone showing off their gains and feel tempted to copy them, I remind myself: their rhythm is not your rhythm. If you lose your own rhythm, you lose your own money.

**When there are no opportunities, staying out is also a strategy.** Trading isn’t a 9-to-5 job; you don’t need to take action every day. Sometimes the best move is to do nothing and wait for a real opportunity.

**Don’t try to win back losses immediately.** After consecutive losses, it’s easy to get emotional and add to your position, hoping to make it all back at once. In reality, this usually leads to even bigger losses. Lighten your positions or just take a break for a few days—it works much better than forcing it.

**Short-term trading is about rhythm, not guts.** If you can’t read support, resistance, and volume dynamics, don’t rush into short-term trades. Even if your direction is right, without the right timing, you’re just spinning your wheels.

**Don’t force yourself to find reasons to enter.** Real opportunities don’t need you to seek them out—they jump out at you. If you have to convince yourself “this level should be fine,” it’s probably not a good time.

**Every review must clearly record three things.** Why you entered, why you exited, and if there’s anything you can improve. These notes may seem troublesome, but they determine how far you can go on this path.

This market is never short on opportunities, nor on hardworking people. What’s lacking is the underlying logic that allows you to stay steady, no matter how the trends change.

It’s easy to set rules, but few can truly stick to them. I’m still on the journey, walking it with you.