Ten years in the crypto world, I've seen too many ups and downs of wealth. The most embarrassing moment last year was when my account evaporated 1 million in just three days — that wasn't paper unrealized loss, it was real gold and silver completely gone. That sense of helplessness is hard to describe, like being pressed underwater, with no thought of resistance.

Smashing my phone, deleting apps, disappearing for two months. But actually, the hardest part wasn't losing the money, it was that persistent feeling of "discontent" in my heart. By the beginning of this year, I dug out the remaining 10,000 USDT and made a decision: either quit the circle entirely or crawl out from the ruins.

In the end, that 10,000 USDT gradually grew to 1.5 million USDT.

There’s nothing magical about this process, it’s just discipline. After experiencing so much, I’ve summarized that the core principles are actually only three —

**First: Never go all-in**

Too many people in crypto die by putting everything on a single bet. My current trading logic is simple: no single position should exceed 40%, with the remaining 60% idle. Even if I see a very clear "must rise" opportunity, I will never break this limit.

Coupled with that is stop-loss. Cut at a 15% loss, no hesitation. Why 15%? It’s a balance point found after countless trials — at 15% loss, the principal can still recover; once it hits 50%, to get back to break-even, you need to double, and that difficulty is exponential.

Living in the crypto market is more important than anything else. Only by staying alive can you wait for your wave of market opportunity.

**Second: Follow the trend**

I used to try "bottom fishing," but every time I caught it halfway up the mountain. Later, I realized: when it’s rising, add to your position; when it’s falling, get out. Going against the trend is basically giving away money.

ETH’s recent performance is a perfect example. In an upward channel, there’s only one move — follow it. Don’t try to predict turning points, don’t think you’re smarter than the market. The signals are right there; follow and profit, oppose and lose — it’s that simple.

**Third: Let time be your friend**

Impatience is the biggest killer in crypto. True compound growth comes from discipline and time accumulation, not from a single huge surge. That’s how I turned 10,000 USDT into 1.5 million: steady small gains every month, month after month, year after year.

There are definitely setbacks, oscillations, doubts along the way. But as long as I don’t break the bottom lines of the first and second principles, I stay alive, and I keep the chance.

These words may sound ordinary, but in reality, few can truly do it. Most are still gambling on quick money or betting on that one chance to turn everything around. The result is often that, during some big surge or crash, everything returns to zero.

The crypto market isn’t short of opportunities; what’s missing is the ability to stay alive until you see the opportunity.