Bottoms are buried, and tops run away—it's easy to say, but actually doing it requires a fight against your own human nature.

I still remember that year when the market collapsed, and I was deeply trapped along with an old trader friend. Late at night, at a barbecue stall, after a few drinks, he said to me: "Don’t blame the market for being ruthless. The ones who can survive in this industry are basically those who can control their hands." Back then, I understood it half-heartedly; now I truly realize it—markets love to teach lessons to those who refuse to be disciplined. Once your emotions are hijacked, the market has plenty of ways to harvest you.

Look at the bull market—everyone thinks they are a genius; but once the trend turns, they immediately show their cowardice. There are plenty of people losing money everywhere, but the real reason isn’t poor technical skills; it’s greed and fear, these two monsters, constantly grabbing your rationality.

From a rookie to now, I rely on a trading framework developed through experience in the market. It’s not complicated, but it works well.

**Entry requires good timing; rushing in is not advisable**

Seeing the coin price skyrocket and wanting to place an order is a common human flaw. But those who truly know how to play understand that the safety margin of lurking during quiet times is far higher than chasing after the rally in hot times. A few years ago, I also had this problem—chasing DeFi when it was hot, chasing NFTs when they surged. In the end, I always ended up standing at high positions. Later, I changed my approach: first, take a small position to test the waters, understand the market pulse, then decide whether to add more. Greed is the easiest way to drag your account into the abyss.

To be honest: opportunities to make endless profits are right in front of you, but your principal amount is fixed.

**Consolidation in a sideways market is like a mirror that reveals true nature**

Sideways movement tests your patience the most. If it stays sideways below for too long, it might be quietly accumulating strength; if it stays sideways above for too long, it’s likely a sign of a trend reversal. Low-level consolidation is often a trick by the main players to accumulate positions; high-level consolidation usually signals distribution. Understanding this can help you avoid half of the pitfalls.

After experiencing several rounds of major sideways trading, I found an interesting phenomenon: when most people in the market are anxious about whether it will rise or fall, action usually follows. Those who wait patiently often manage to buy at better positions.