After ten years in this market, I’ve realized one thing: the people who really make money are never the smartest ones.

They’re the ones who can hold back and stick to the rules.

Three months ago, my old friend Ah Hua came to me. His account was down to 3,000 USDT, and he was completely numb. I didn’t teach him any advanced techniques—just the simplest trick: split the money into three parts, giving yourself three layers of protection.

**The first 1,000 USDT is for short-term trial trades.**
A maximum of two trades per day; if you lose, stop immediately—never double down to get even with the market. This money is your tuition, but the tuition must have a cap.

**The second 1,000 USDT is for trend setups.**
Only act on weekly-level uptrend signals. If there’s no trend forming, just sit tight—it’s better to miss out than to make random moves.

**The third 1,000 USDT is your last bullet.**
Only use it to average down in the event of a liquidation or extreme situation—just to make sure you’re not kicked off the table.

He stuck to this for 90 days. Not only did his account stabilize, but it even started to grow. Behind this method are actually three hard rules I learned with real money.

**Rule One: Never go all-in.**
Going all-in is handing over your life. Nine out of ten market swings are about cutting losses. You can accept a stop-loss that takes a finger, but don’t lose your head. Emergency funds are your oxygen tank.

**Rule Two: Only take the middle of the move—don’t try to catch it all.**
Don’t dream of catching every swing. My entry criteria are very strict:
- Daily moving averages not lined up bullish? Stay out and watch.
- Volume breaks previous highs, daily candlestick confirms? Take the first shot.
- Profits reach 30% of principal? Immediately withdraw half, set a 10% trailing stop on the rest.

Let the market run—just focus on protecting your profits.

**Rule Three: Write your “will” before every trade.**
Before hitting buy, write on paper:
- Stop-loss: -5%. If it hits, get out—no hesitation.
- Trailing stop: After 10% profit, move the stop to breakeven. Any further profit is a free bonus.

Replace impulse and wishful thinking with mechanical rules.

After ten years, I finally understand: going from 3,000 to 30,000 isn’t about how many trades you get right, but how few mistakes you make.

I used to grope around in the dark alone, but now I’ve got a light in my hand.

The light is on—are you coming with me?