I once thought that trading was a quick path to financial freedom, but I later realized it is actually a long-term game against oneself. There are no eternal winners in the market, only those who can continuously evolve.

These years of trading have taught me much more than just technical skills. More importantly, it’s about understanding human nature, respecting risk, and enforcing discipline. From blindly following the crowd at the beginning to gradually building my own trading system; from emotional trading to mechanical execution—each stage of progress has been built with real money.

**Trading has no secrets, only common sense**

Many people dream of finding the legendary "Holy Grail," believing successful traders must have some secret knowledge. In fact, not so. Support and resistance levels, position management, and execution skills have been in front of you all along. The real difference lies in whether you can persistently repeat these simple things and master them to perfection. Some traders have been trading for 20 years and still repeat the same mistakes; others have only two years of experience but have already established a complete trading system. The key is not how much you know, but how much you actually do.

**Prediction is a trap; management is the key**

Traders who spend all day predicting market rises and falls often end up the same way—liquidation. Trading is not fortune-telling; it is based on probabilities and long-term execution. Staring at the market every day guessing is less effective than spending that time optimizing your risk control rules. The market won’t change direction because of your predictions, but your predictions can influence your decisions. That’s why some people are very smart but still can’t trade well; while seemingly ordinary people can achieve steady profits.

**Discipline in stop-loss determines survival length**

Accepting losses is a necessary lesson for every trader. The scary part is not the loss itself, but the obsession with avoiding stop-loss. I’ve seen too many people refuse to admit defeat, turning small losses into big ones, until their accounts blow up. The first lesson of risk management is knowing when to exit. Traders with discipline in stop-loss can recover even after consecutive losses; those without such discipline will eventually see their capital wiped out.

**Distance creates safety; greed breeds disaster**

People who watch the market every day and trade frequently often fall into a misconception—that being closer to the market and reacting faster makes it easier to make money. In reality, this only drowns you in market noise. True experts know how to maintain a proper distance from the market, avoiding being swayed by short-term volatility and emotions. Patience in waiting for the right opportunity is much smarter than rushing to trade every day.

**The essence of consistent profitability is discipline**

If you observe traders who can make steady profits over the long term, you’ll find their daily trading is actually quite "boring." No big swings, no thrill of guessing the market correctly—just mechanical execution after setting rules. They can endure the loneliness, unaffected by market emotions, simply following their established rules. It may sound unexciting, but this dullness is what creates their stable returns.

**Living longer is more valuable than running faster**

You don’t need to be the fastest trader; you just need to survive longer than others. In this market, capital safety always comes first. Controlled risk, limited drawdowns, and long-term compound growth are the true keys to wealth. Time rewards those who stay rational, while the market ultimately devours those who seek quick profits.

After walking through so many pitfalls, I understand that the market will never change for you. The only things that can change are our own cognition and execution. Making money is not about having superior skills, but about having a deep understanding of the market. The secret to success isn’t in the method itself, but in whether you can persistently execute it. Most people don’t lose to the market itself but stumble in the dark, ultimately falling due to confusion. I hope these lessons can light a lamp for you.