A friend recently reached out to me, with only 4,200 USDT left in his account. His account has shrunk by 80% from its peak, and anxiety is written all over his face. I didn't bombard him with a bunch of technical indicators; instead, I shared three simple and straightforward trading principles. Over a month later, he sent me a screenshot—his account net value has risen to 68,000 USDT.

This is not luck; it's purely the result of discipline. Instead of stubbornly relying on technical analysis, it's better to first control your own hands. Today, I will break down and explain these "counter-human" rules.

**Rule 1: Refuse to go all-in; position size is the lifeline**

I've seen too many people, when the market moves, their adrenaline surges, and they go all in. What happens then? When the trend reverses, they get trapped and can't move. This is the most common death trap for crypto beginners.

I told my friend very straightforwardly: never place a heavy bet all at once. Before the trend is confirmed, try with 10%-20% of your capital. Once the market clearly shows a direction, then add positions gradually. This is not cowardice; it's wisdom for survival.

Crypto markets never sleep 24/7, and volatility is off the charts. A single spike can wipe out heavy positions and lead to liquidation. Those who survive in this market are never the bravest, but the most cautious. They understand a fundamental truth: only by staying alive can they have all the possibilities ahead.

**Rule 2: Stop-loss is easy, take-profit is hard**

"Market drops, can't I add some to average down?" my friend asked me at the time.

This is the trap most people fall into. Adding to losing positions only doubles down on mistakes, plunging deeper into the hole. Conversely, people tend to close winning positions too early out of fear of a pullback, worried that their profits will fly away.

My second ironclad rule is the opposite: cut losses quickly, let profits run.

Once a position is losing, the first thing to think about is how to stop the loss. Don't doubt the market, and don't expect it to rebound. If it needs to be cut, do it—preserving ammunition is more important than anything. For profitable trades, be willing to add more. When profits start to materialize, don't always think about taking profits quickly; let it run as long as the trend persists.

**Rule 3: Trading journal is a mirror**

Knowing is easy, doing is hard. Even the best principles are useless if you can't execute them. So I advise my friend to do something many find troublesome: keep a trading journal every day.

No need to write a novel—just note clearly: why you entered, what your expectations were, and your reasons for exiting. Review it once a month, and you'll see your trading patterns—when you tend to be greedy, when you tend to panic. This self-reflection process is more effective than reading countless technical analysis posts.

The story of turning 4,200 USDT into 68,000 USDT is never an isolated case. As long as you're willing to establish trading discipline, reject human greed and panic, stick to position management, stop-loss and take-profit rules, and reflect regularly, your chances of making money will greatly increase. In the crypto battlefield, those who survive are always the most calm and rational traders.