Surviving in the Crypto Market: From 500U to the Mindset of Those Who Stay Until the End

Looking at the flashing numbers on the screen, your hands might sweat, but your mind must be absolutely calm. That calmness doesn’t come naturally — it is earned with real money, real mistakes, and sleepless nights. I used to be exactly like many people just starting in crypto: with 500U saved up in hand, and stories in my head about “10x leverage, making thousands of U in a day.” I believed that if I just moved a little faster than others, I could change my life. Result? After just a few days, my account dropped from 500U straight down to below 100U. That night, I stared at the price chart until my eyes were red. And at that moment, I realized a very harsh truth: crypto is not a competition to see who is smarter, but a battle to see who survives longer. From that moment on, I completely changed my approach. No longer chasing hot trends, no longer jealous of others’ profits. I only kept one goal: to survive in this market. 👉 Here are the survival principles I had to pay real money to learn. Preserve Capital, Then Talk About Profits When starting over, I set a strict rule: capital preservation is more important than anything else. Whenever a trade yields over 20% profit, I withdraw a part immediately and lock in the principal. This causes me to miss some strong rallies, but in return, I avoid being swept away during market crashes. I also set my own discipline: Use no more than 30% of total capital for trading,70% remaining as “defense capital” to ensure the account isn’t wiped out by a single mistake. The market never lacks opportunities. What is truly rare is an account that survives through multiple cycles. Emotional Control: The Boundary Between Trader and Prey In the past, I traded based on emotions: Seeing prices rise, I fear missing out, chasing to buy Seeing prices fall, I panic, cut losses at the bottom That is the shortest path to losses. Later, I started recording each trade: not only entry and exit points but also the emotional state at that time. I quickly discovered a pattern: the worst decisions are always made when emotions are strongest. Therefore, I apply the “waiting rule”: whenever I want to enter a trade driven by emotion, I force myself to wait at least 2 hours. Once, I held a position for nearly 10 days amid a market full of bad news. I didn’t panic, didn’t break my discipline. When the trend reversed, that single trade helped my account multiply many times. The lesson is very clear: Big profits don’t come from constant trading, but from patience at the right moment. Crypto Has No Saints, Only Those Who Stay Until the End Many people ask me: what’s the secret to growing from a small capital to a large sum? The answer is very simple: stop believing in “experts,” start believing in principles. I no longer follow anyone’s calls. For each project, I ask myself: Do I really understand it?Where does its value come from?Can I explain it in two sentences? If the answer is “no,” I won’t invest, no matter how attractive others’ profits claim to be. In crypto, market stories and capital flows are sometimes even more important than fundamentals. But that doesn’t mean chasing every trend. The right way is to research early, prepare in advance, and wait for the right moment. Principles I Always Follow Capital management is life: no trade risks more than 2% of total assetsAlways set clear stop-loss and take-profit levels: plans must be defined before entering a tradeDon’t stare at the chart 24/7: I only check the market at fixed times each dayAlways learn but stay skeptical: anything “promising guaranteed profits” should be avoidedSeparate investment money from living expenses: only use money you can accept losing completely Conclusion In this market, victory doesn’t belong to the smartest, but to the most persistent. Crypto has no king, no gods, only those disciplined enough to walk their own path. If you are losing, feeling confused, or don’t know what to do next, remember one thing: survive first, make money later. In a market where most participants eventually leave with losses, as long as you stay, you have already surpassed most others.