Having been trading for over three years, looking back at the account changes over 1095 days—from starting with 10,000 U to 810,000 U—sounds like a fairy tale, but there’s actually no dark secrets involved. I didn’t catch any crazy bull runs either; it’s purely been about honing the "dumb effort" step by step. The biggest gain isn’t the money, but these six insights about the relationship between volume and price. Once you understand some of these, you can avoid losing tens of thousands of dollars; master three of them, and you can basically shake off 90% of retail investors.

**After the surge, don’t assume the dip is the bottom**

This is the trap I’ve fallen into the most. After a strong push by the big players, it’s followed by a deep decline—that’s called a shakeout. Many people panic at the pullback, cut their losses, and miss the subsequent rally. The true top isn’t like that. A top appears as a sudden massive surge, then a straight drop like free fall—at that point, it’s a playground for the bagholders. To survive, you need to distinguish between these two situations.

**Slow rebound after a sharp drop is often the last chance to escape**

After a sharp decline, the price begins to slowly rebound, seeming like a big bargain. In reality, this is often the last train for the big players to unload. People thinking "it’s fallen so much, what else can happen" usually end up with the worst losses. It’s important to understand that a rebound doesn’t necessarily confirm the bottom; it’s very likely that funds are gradually exiting.

**Volume shrinking at high levels is a real danger signal**

At high prices, if volume continues to pour in, it indicates more buying pressure and possibly another push higher. But if suddenly there’s no activity at high levels, and trading volume crashes—like the calm before a storm—that’s a sign to stop waiting. Shrinking volume tells you that no one is willing to keep taking the risk.

**High-volume at the bottom isn’t a free pass; look for continuity**

Sometimes, a single spike in volume at the bottom looks tempting, but it’s often just a trap to lure more buyers. True accumulation looks like this: after a period of consolidation, there are multiple consecutive volume surges. That’s when the big players are really putting their money in. Following this rhythm is more reliable.

**Volume is the thermometer of market sentiment; candlesticks are just post-mortem**

Candlestick charts only tell you what has already happened; volume reflects real-time market sentiment. Shrinking volume means no one is playing, while surging volume indicates capital inflow. Understanding volume changes in advance can help you sense the market direction ahead of time.

**"Holding no position" can also be profitable—that’s the highest level of trading**

This last point might sound counterintuitive. Trading isn’t about always being fully invested or constantly making moves. With the right mindset—no obsession, no greed, no panic—you should be in cash when needed and buy the dip when appropriate. It’s not about lying flat; it’s about mastering the trading mindset to the extreme.

Opportunities in the crypto world are indeed everywhere, but what’s truly scarce are those who can control their hands and see the situation clearly. Most people aren’t slow to act—they’re running naked in the dark, with no strategy or logic. Three years isn’t a long time, but enough to understand that trading ultimately isn’t about luck; it’s about the depth of understanding of volume and price relationships.