I have been navigating the crypto world for ten years, from the wild days of 2013 all the way through witnessing the ICO boom in 2017, and nearly getting liquidated during the "312" crash in 2020. From an initial capital of 200,000 yuan to now achieving a profit of 48 million yuan, this journey has taken exactly eight years. Today, I want to discuss a core issue with everyone: how to survive in this market using "subtraction thinking" and make your own money.

**Why does copying others' trading systems often lead to worse losses?**

Many people are obsessed with a single idea: as long as they find that "sacred trading system," making money becomes an automatic process. But my real experience tells me another truth— the same strategy can yield completely different results depending on who uses it.

I once publicly shared a trend-following system, with the core requirement being "only follow trends with energy levels above 8." What was the result? People who jumped in at the sight of bullish candlestick formations kept hitting stop-losses. Where was the problem? They saw the "trend candlesticks" but didn’t understand what "energy" truly represented—namely, the trend’s persistence and the strength of market consensus. A seemingly dense bullish candle might just be a wide-range shakeout by the market maker, a "three steps forward, two steps back" rebound. Truly smart capital would never hold onto such things long-term.

It’s like someone else’s money tree grows lush and full, while yours keeps roots rotting. It’s not the tree’s problem; it’s that you don’t understand the underlying logic of watering, lighting, and ventilation. The failure of a trading system is the same—misunderstanding leads directly to execution collapse.

**My 7 survival rules: using common sense to fight uncertainty**

There’s no universal formula in the crypto space, but some principles are ironclad. These principles aren’t complicated, and they even have a "common sense" flavor, but very few people stick to them.

First, always reserve principal. I’ve seen too many dream of turning things around in one shot, risking all their assets. But a single correction can wipe them out. Keeping core capital isn’t conservative; it’s about preserving the right to restart.

Second, before trading, ask yourself three questions: Why buy? When to sell? What’s the maximum loss? If you can’t answer these, you shouldn’t act.

Third, don’t be attracted by price increases. A rise from 100 to 110 yuan and from 1 to 1.1 yuan are the same percentage, but their risk structures are completely different. Those who only look at percentages will eventually get caught.

Fourth, learn to hold cash. This is the hardest but also the most profitable. When there are no high-probability opportunities, sitting on cash is also a way to make money.

Fifth, don’t follow big influencers blindly. The market isn’t short of analysts; what’s lacking are independent thinkers. Listening to others’ analysis is fine, but your decisions must be your own.

Sixth, record every trade. After three months, review your records and you’ll discover your patterns—what types of trades are most prone to loss, and which entry points are most stable. This data is more valuable than any theory.

Seventh, review regularly but avoid overtrading. Many people equate "being active" with "being professional," but in reality, trading frequency isn’t directly related to profits. Those with strong patience and waiting ability tend to earn more steadily.

These seven rules may seem simple, but my ten years of profitability are fundamentally built on these "nonsense." The great truth is simplicity—less is more.