I've been thinking about a question lately: why are there so many people in the crypto world, yet possibly less than 1% actually make money?

Opportunities have always been there. But the problem is, most people simply can't do something that sounds easy but is actually very difficult—like executing a trading plan like a cold, emotionless machine.

Recently, I guided a friend into the space. He started with a $1,500 principal, and after three months, his account balance grew to $45,000. Throughout the entire process, he never wiped out a single position.

You might think he has some secret method. Actually, he doesn’t. The approach he used is the same "counter-human" strategy I developed after struggling from $7,000 to eight-figure profits myself. I broke it down into three simple, blunt rules—effective nonetheless.

**Rule 1: Divide your funds; don’t go all-in at once**

I told him to split that $1,500 into three parts, each $500:

The first part is for intraday short-term trading. At most, look at one trade per day, take profit at your target level, and never greed for those extra few points.

The second part is for swing trading. Maybe take a trade once every ten days or half a month, only targeting trends that are very clear with higher win rates.

The third part should always stay untouched. Don’t rush to add positions when prices rise, and don’t panic sell when they fall—consider it a backup plan for yourself.

Many people like to go all-in at once, but when the market moves, there’s no room to turn things around. In this market, survival comes first; only then can you talk about making money.

**Rule 2: Only profit in trends, don’t mess around in sideways markets**

Most of the time, the market just moves sideways. Opening and closing trades back and forth not only exhausts you but also easily erases your profits.

The right time to act is when the trend is very clear. Once you make money, remember to take some off the table. For example, if you’ve gained over 20%, at least lock in 30% of your profits.

Smart traders aren’t constantly glued to the screen or opening trades every day; they wait for the right moment and then ride a complete trend.

**Rule 3: Use rules to control your hands, don’t trade based on feelings**

When your mindset is chaotic, your trading collapses. I set three strict rules for him:

Set stop-loss at 2%. When hit, exit immediately without hesitation.

When profit reaches 4%, reduce some of your position to lock in gains.

Prohibit adding to losing positions. The more severe the dip, the less you should invest, or you’ll easily be led by emotions.

Those who strictly follow these rules will eventually be rewarded by the market. Capital growth depends on discipline, not adrenaline-fueled excitement.

The crypto space is never short of opportunities. What’s lacking are those who can wait for the right chance and execute according to rules.

Are you willing to set these rules for yourself?