These years, I've seen quite a few legendary stories—some people double their money within a few hours by investing in a new coin in a certain track, while others see their investments drop from millions to negative overnight due to leverage on contracts. The most heartbreaking are those who once made "huge profits" but ended up empty-handed. I remember the 2017 market boom; I knew an older brother who heavily invested in a "next-generation internet" concept coin, and his account reached 5 million. He should have stopped then, but he didn't. Two years later, the project team ran away, and the investor group fell into silence. Over these years, he's been trying to overcome that psychological shadow.

I've thought about this for a long time, and the most realistic thing in the crypto world is: making money depends on luck and vision, but protecting your capital relies entirely on self-discipline. I can't claim to have a secret formula for guaranteed profit, but after experiencing a complete market cycle over these eight years, I've summarized a few bottom lines that have helped me survive three major bull and bear transitions. These things might sound unsexy, but they can truly save your life.

**First: Never put all your eggs in one basket; leave yourself an exit route**

The most common mistake newcomers make is seeing a K-line turn red and, in a moment of impulsiveness, pouring everything in. But the market's volatility will far exceed your psychological expectations—you might have the right direction, but get shaken out halfway through.

I have a friend named Akai. Back then, he saw a certain public chain project rising fiercely and invested all his 80,000 principal at once. As a result, when a 5% decline hit, he was forcibly liquidated. The sentence he later told me left a deep impression: "No matter how much you earn, it’s useless—one impulsive move can wipe it all out."

Now, my approach is: no single position exceeds 10% of my total assets. Even if I see a great opportunity, I build my position gradually. During a bull market, I might earn a little less, but if I get shaken out, at least I still have the principal to stand up again.

**Second: Follow the market rhythm, don’t fight the trend**

People like to prove themselves, always trying to precisely bottom out or perfectly top out. When I was young, I did the same—during a bear market, Bitcoin would drop 10%, and I couldn’t sit still, rushing to buy the dip. As a result, I would hold the position for half a year, and my capital sat idle with very low efficiency. Later, I realized a truth: instead of fighting against the market, it’s better to go with the market’s rhythm.