Painful but Enlightening: 90% of Traders Lose Not Because of Losses – But Because They Can't Stay Still

When I first entered crypto, I traded like an addict: opened the chart and entered a trade, saw the candles move and hit buy or sell.

I didn’t set stoplosses; when I saw red waves, I averaged down like crazy, and when the market was green, I fantasized that I was a genius.

The result?

The market only needed to reverse once and my account evaporated faster than I could deposit more funds.

My accumulated trading fees could have bought a car. My mindset collapsed, and my account was as full of holes as a basket.

Only when I sat and looked at my trade history, full of red orders, did I truly understand one thing:

“I didn’t lose because of the market. I lost because of my own impatience.”

The truth is, 90% of people in this market make the same mistake: They’re not afraid of losing—they’re afraid of being idle.

They can’t stand being on the sidelines. Seeing others show off profits makes their hands itch. As soon as the chart moves, they jump in, only to have the market teach them a lesson they’ll never forget.

Luckily, I woke up in time. And it was these 3 changes below that helped me go from reckless trader to consistently profitable one:

1. Stop “Trading Out of Boredom” – Only Trade When There’s a Clear Reason

I used to stare at the 1-minute chart, thinking every candle move was an opportunity.

Now I only look at the 4H and D1 timeframes.

No more FOMO over small fluctuations, no more feeling the need to “do something.”

Two or three good setups a week are more than enough.

If the market trend isn’t clear? → I stay out, keep my money safe.

Because money doesn’t disappear on its own—it only flies away when you click random trades.

2. Golden Rule: Let Profits Run, Cut Losses Fast

I used to take profits quickly but held onto losses, hoping. Now I stick to one principle:

Never risk more than 10% of my capital on a single trade. If it’s profitable → gradually add to the position, following the trend. If it’s losing → cut it immediately, don’t argue with the market.

When my profit hits +20%, I lock in some gains → let the rest “ride the market.”

Want to survive long-term? → Stoploss and take profit are not optional—they’re mandatory procedures.

3. Discipline Is More Important Than Any Signal

No matter how good your strategy is, it’s useless if you don’t follow it.

I apply 3 survival rules: If I’m upset or tired → stop trading immediately. Lose 2 trades in a row → close the app, go to sleep, reset my mind. Every night, spend 10 minutes reviewing: → Did I win because of skill or just luck? → Did I lose because of the market or because I broke my own rules?

Just maintain this for a month, and you’ll see your account and mindset completely change.

The Market Isn’t Lacking Opportunities – It’s Lacking People Patient Enough to Wait for the Right Ones

What burns your account isn’t a Bitcoin dump—it’s the thinking:

“I have to recover now! I have to go big to win it back!”

That’s a mistake. In crypto, not knowing how to wait is suicide; not knowing how to stop is digging your own grave.

Want to survive long-term? → Don’t try to win every trade. → Try to survive long enough to win the trades worth winning.

If You’re Confused, Tired, and Don’t Know Where to Start…

Don’t worry, everyone new to the market has felt that way.

If you want to: truly understand crypto get practical trading strategies stay updated with news & trends before they go mainstream 👉 Follow me @blogtienso – you won’t have to grope in the dark anymore.