In the early hours, someone asked in private chat: "Can I enter the market now?" I smiled. Not at the person asking, but at my past self eight years ago, clutching rent money and sweating over the K-line.

Over these eight years, I’ve seen too many people rush in during a sharp decline, only to get trapped and stuck. I’ve also seen others stick to discipline, gradually accumulating during slow declines, and finally earning a fortune. The market has taught me a counterintuitive truth: those who make money here are often not the smartest, but those who understand "guarding simplicity" and can endure patience.

I don’t want to talk about technical indicators or draw trend lines. Let me start with three ironclad rules that truly kept me alive.

**Don’t catch flying knives, wait for slow knives**

The crash in 2016 left a deep impression on me. I had only a little money, and a friend was frantic, insisting I buy the dip in mainstream coins. At that time, I couldn’t even read basic candlesticks well, and I asked him nervously: "If it keeps falling like this, aren’t you afraid of getting deeply trapped?"

He said something I’ve remembered for eight years: "Only those who survive in the market have the chance to make money."

I later verified this with real money. During a sharp decline, rushing in to buy the dip is essentially catching a flying knife with no safety net. Why? Because during a panic sell-off, it’s when the main players love to harvest panic-driven chips. But slow declines are different. The slower and longer the decline, the easier it is for impatient and weak-willed holders to be shaken out. That’s when the real golden opportunity appears.

**Position discipline is more important than timing**

In 2020, I set my sights on a project. It dropped from $8 to $2.50. The community’s atmosphere shifted from initial enthusiasm to a chorus of complaints. Many people sold at a loss.

But I stuck to a strict rule I set for myself: add to my position every 20% drop, no more than 10% of total funds each time. Even as it fell, I never increased my position recklessly. In the end, this project rebounded to over $60. I didn’t make the most profit, but I stayed solid and steady.

Do you know why many people lose money during a crash? It’s not because they didn’t hold to the bottom, but because they threw in too much at once. When your position and risk are out of control, even the right direction can’t save you. This is especially true for volatile tokens like SOL. During a big drop, some go all-in, only to find they can’t wait for the rebound.

**Don’t chase perfect entry points, focus on surviving long enough**

This is the last and most crucial rule. Many fail because they want to buy at the absolute bottom. In reality, perfect bottoms only exist in post-event candlestick charts. What you can do is position yourself at reasonable levels, following your discipline, and gradually build your position.

Take your time, don’t rush. This is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned over eight years.