When I first started trading cryptocurrencies, I was no different from most people—staying up late watching K-line charts, chasing gains and cutting losses, getting liquidated, insomnia, anxiety, I've been through it all. It wasn't until later that I realized: this is gambling, not trading.

The turning point was simple. I decided to treat the crypto world as a real job: clock in at a fixed time, clock out at a fixed time, stick to a fixed strategy, and execute strictly. Once I made this change, my account started to come alive.

Below are the lessons learned from real money lost—must read for beginners:

**1. Only trade after 9 PM**

During the day, news bombards you, volatility is chaotic, and the market moves erratically like it's having a tantrum. Now I usually wait until after 9 PM to trade, when most news has been digested, the K-line is cleaner, and the trend is easier to identify.

**2. Take profits immediately, don’t be greedy**

If you make 1000U, withdraw 300U to realize the profit. I’ve seen too many people aiming for triple or quintuple gains, only to get wiped out in a correction and lose everything—including their principal. Human nature is like that.

**3. Watch indicators, don’t rely on feelings**

Entering based on gut feeling? That’s jumping into a liquidation trap. Install TradingView and check these three before trading:
- Is MACD showing a golden or death cross?
- Is RSI overbought or oversold?
- Are Bollinger Bands narrowing or breaking out?

If at least two of these indicators point in the same direction, it’s worth considering entering.

**4. Trailing stop-loss to stay alive**

When you’re watching the market, raise your stop-loss as the price goes up. For example, buy at 1000, and if it rises to 1100, move your stop-loss up to 1050—protects profits and leaves room for movement. If you can’t watch constantly, set a hard stop-loss at 3% to prevent a sudden dump from wiping you out.

**5. Your account balance isn’t real money, your bank account is**

Withdraw a planned portion of profits—30% to 50%. Don’t leave all your gains on the exchange hoping to multiply tenfold; risks are always bigger than you think.

**6. K-line patterns have a trick, don’t click randomly**

For short-term trading? Look at the 1-hour chart. Two consecutive bullish candles are a buy signal. If it’s sideways or consolidating, switch to the 4-hour chart to find support levels, and wait for the price to approach before considering entering.

**7. Avoid these pitfalls**

Don’t over-leverage with heavy positions; one wrong move and it’s all over. Don’t touch coins you don’t understand—those are just waiting to get you liquidated. Limit yourself to 3 trades per day to avoid emotional trading. And most importantly: never borrow money to trade crypto. Never. Never. Never.

Crypto isn’t about getting rich overnight through impulsive moves; it’s about executing a mature strategy over the long term. Treat it like a job: log in at set times, follow your plan, shut down when it’s time, rest when needed. You’ll find that profits become steadier and your mindset more stable.