# From 3000U to 280,000U: The Rules That Survive in the Crypto World

Going from 3000U to 280,000U, honestly, it's not because I'm particularly smart or a genius trader. Ultimately, it boils down to one sentence: tough luck, strict discipline.

Over the years of navigating the crypto space, I’ve noticed a particularly painful phenomenon—people who make money aren’t necessarily the smartest, but they are definitely the most disciplined. Those quick gains from guessing the market right will eventually be lost back through skill. The ones who truly survive long-term in this market are those who have ingrained the rules into their nerves.

## Five Ironclad Trading Rules for Survival

The reason I’ve been able to keep going all these years is because I’ve been beaten down countless times by the market, and each time I’ve remembered a survival principle. Now, these rules have become reflexes; I can execute them without even thinking.

**Rule 1: Cut losses immediately when wrong, don’t fight the trend**

When the market moves against you, stop-loss is your life-saving talisman. Many people like to hold on, thinking a rebound will recover their losses, but they end up losing even more. I’ve learned one thing: the market is always right. The only thing you can control is your psychological bottom line and your account buffer. Instead of waiting for a miracle, it’s better to cut losses promptly and look for the next opportunity. Nine out of ten margin calls happen because people keep “waiting a little longer” and lose control.

**Rule 2: Stop when you’re losing, don’t stubbornly fight**

If you lose several trades in a row, it means your rhythm is broken. At this point, it’s not a technical issue, but an emotional one. The right move is to shut down the software and get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, the smartest move is to do nothing. Pausing is a hundred times more valuable than stubbornly fighting because you preserve the bullets for the next battle.

**Rule 3: Take profits when you’re ahead; real wealth is outside the platform**

The numbers in your account are just virtual. Real wealth is when you withdraw to the outside. I set a strict rule for myself: once I make a certain profit, I withdraw part of it in batches. The benefit of this is that even if the market reverses later, you’ve already locked in some gains. The market loves to swallow all your profits back and then make you regret not exiting earlier.

**Rule 4: Only eat the trend’s meat, don’t get lost in sideways markets**

Sideways markets are a slaughterhouse for retail traders. When a trend is clear, follow it. When there’s no trend, just watch the show honestly. Those who think they’re clever often try to bottom-fish in the sideways and top-fish at the peaks, but they usually end up giving their money to big players. My approach is: only enter when the trend is confirmed; otherwise, stay on the sidelines. Better to miss a move than get repeatedly harvested.

**Rule 5: Control your position size, which is really controlling your fate**

A heavy position makes people prone to irrational decisions. When your account fluctuates wildly, emotions take over, and you tend to make mistakes. Conversely, if your position is light, you can stay rational even during market swings. In the crypto world, surviving long is the real victory, because as long as you’re alive, there’s always a chance to turn things around.

## Final Words

This market teaches us daily to make choices. But true winners understand one thing: not every opportunity needs to be seized. Discipline and patience are the most valuable assets.

Don’t rely on luck to gamble on the market—that path will make nine out of ten people lose. Holding these bottom lines is more reliable than any technical analysis, because in crypto, your biggest opponent has always been yourself.