On that stormy night in May 2022, the only light in the room was the blue glow from the computer screen reflecting my face. The price of LUNA plummeted like a waterfall, and my account balance dropped from 1 million U to 80,000 U in an instant. Every second the numbers jumped felt like a knife cutting flesh. I slumped in the chair, smoking one cigarette after another, with the ashtray piled high, and a voice repeatedly echoed in my mind: 'You’ll never get back up in this lifetime.'
But today, my account balance is stable at 5.6 million U. This is not a story of overwhelming luck, but a survival rule earned through countless sleepless nights reviewing and trying with real money. If you have ever doubted your life after liquidation, this article will tell you: as long as you are not completely dead, there is an opportunity to double what you have lost.
Three months after liquidation: locking myself in the room to peel the wound and review.
One week after LUNA went to zero, I deleted all signal groups, unplugged the internet, and locked myself in my rental room. Every day I stared blankly at my trading records, from the arrogance of making money in the 2021 bull market to the blind confidence when bottom-fishing LUNA in 2022, each trade felt like a slap in the face.
Three months later, I wrote three lines in my notebook, which became the foundation for my later turnaround:
Stop-loss is not giving up; it's to ensure the next shot is more accurate: I used to think stop-loss meant losing money; in fact, not stopping loss is wasting all your bullets.
Real opportunities hide when others dare not bet: in a bull market, everyone makes money, but the panic at the bottom of a bear market is the opportunity to pick up chips.
Compound interest is the most cruel yet fair weapon: it can bring you to zero overnight, but it can also help you roll out large returns from small profits, depending on how you use it.
With these three sentences and the remaining 80,000 U, I began a 'revenge battle' with the market.
First shot: first order iron rule - you must be alive to have the qualification to shoot.
When I started trading, I always thought about 'one shot to break even,' resulting in greater losses. Later I realized that the vitality of the account is more important than short-term gains. I set three iron rules for my first order, which are the bottom line for all operations:
1. 80,000 U principal, the first order always opens with 8000U.
Divide the principal into 10 parts, and only use 1 part each time to shoot. Even if you go the wrong way, you can only lose a maximum of 10%, with 9 bullets left to adjust. In August 2022, I used this rule for the first time, opening a position at $ETH 1600U. Although I lost 720U in a stop-loss, the remaining 79,000 U gave me the chance to wait for the next opportunity.
2. If losses drop to 7600U, immediately cut losses without hesitation.
Set a 5% stop-loss line (8000U × 5% = 400U), cut it when it hits, and never get entangled in 'whether it will rebound.' Once, when $SOL fell from 30U to 28.5U, I was so nervous that my hands shook while staring at the screen, but I still pressed close out. Later, it indeed fell to 25U. Although this cut hurt, it preserved 95% of my bullets.
3. Withdraw the principal immediately after a 30% profit.
As long as a single trade earns 30% (8000U makes 2400U), transfer the initial 8000U back to the stablecoin wallet. Leave the profits to roll in the market; the principal is always safe. In November 2022, when $BTC rebounded from 16000U to 19000U, I made 2450U with 8000U and immediately withdrew the 8000U principal, continuing to operate with the profits.
This rule helped me survive the '312 crash' in March 2023. At that time, the market was in a panic decline, and since I had already withdrawn the principal, I only used the profits to withstand the volatility, not experiencing the despair of liquidation again.
Second shot: profit hunting - let profits run, and stop losses.
The core reason for liquidation is not losing too much but 'small profits and big losses.' In the past, I always ran away at a 10% profit, but held onto losses until liquidation. Later, I reversed this: stop immediately during losses, and boldly increase positions during profits.
The ETH campaign in October 2022: 80,000 U rolled to 490,000 U.
First shot test: ETH stabilized and rebounded from 1300U. I went long with 8000U and set a stop-loss at 1235U (5%). Three days later, it rose to 1690U, making a profit of 10400U. I withdrew the 8000U principal and continued with 2400U profit.
Second shot to increase position: when ETH corrected to 1550U with reduced volume, I used 2400U profit + new 1740U profit (total 4140U) to increase position, setting a stop-loss at 1470U (5%). When it rose to 1860U, I made 828U on this trade, and total funds became 8000 + 2400 + 4140 + 828 = 15368U.
After four rounds of rolling: I withdrew the principal every time I made a profit and increased my position with the profits. By January 2023, when ETH rose to 2400U, my account grew from 80,000 U to 490,000 U.
The secret is actually very simple: shrink like a turtle during losses and chase like a cheetah during profits. Never add positions on losing trades, only expand victories on winning trades. This way, even if you add positions incorrectly, you lose market money, not your own principal.
Third shot: cold-blooded retreat - those who can sell are masters.
Before the FTX crash in November 2023, my account peaked at 970,000 U. At that time, everyone in the group was shouting 'the bull market is here', but greed got the better of me, and I didn’t take profits in time, resulting in a drop back to 320,000 U in just one day. This lesson of 650,000 U taught me the rule of 'cold-blooded retreat.'
1. Every time you earn 15%, raise the stop-loss line by 12%.
For example, if you open a position with 20,000 U and profit to 23,000 U (15%), raise the stop-loss from the initial 5% to 'cost + 3%'. This way, even if there is a correction, you can at least keep 3% of the profit and avoid a rollercoaster ride.
2. Take profits in three batches, never going all-in or out.
Take 30% profit when the price reaches 50% of the target, 50% profit when it reaches 80%, and set a trailing stop for the remaining 20% to let profits run. In 2023, when $SOL rose from 50U to 100U, I used this method to take 60% profit, although I didn't catch the last 20% of the rise, I preserved most of my profits.
3. If weekly profits exceed 20%, mandatory two-day rest.
It's easiest to act impulsively when making money. I set a 'cooling-off period' for myself: if I earn more than 20% in a week, I stop trading for two days and review before operating again. In February 2024, when $DOGE surged, I made 25% in a week and decisively stopped trading for two days, avoiding the subsequent correction.
90% of losers share the same cause of death, and 10% of winners have a rule of survival.
Reviewing the trades of the past two years, I find that those who were liquidated kept making the same mistakes, while those who survived adhered to similar principles:
The three deadly wounds of losers:
After losses, madly increase positions: always thinking 'it has fallen too much and will rebound,' resulting in greater losses the more you add. It’s like frantically adding water to a leaking boat.
Being hesitant when making profits: taking a small profit and running, missing out on the main uptrend, and relying on small profits to cover big losses.
Trading driven by emotions: getting excited and chasing highs when prices rise, panicking and cutting losses when prices fall, turning the account into a trash can for emotions.
Three survival rules for winners:
Immediately stop-loss at 5%: control each loss within a manageable range, just like a soldier wearing protective gear on the battlefield.
Stepwise increase position after profit: use profit as bullets, let market money help you earn, and always leave your principal as a backup.
Execute the plan like a machine: write the strategy before trading, don’t change the plan arbitrarily during trading, and strictly review after trading.
Finally, I want to say: revenge is not based on luck but on completely changing habits.
From 80,000 U to 5.6 million, it took me two years. During this time, I never caught a hundredfold coin, nor did I have a night of sudden wealth; it was all about repeatedly and diligently following simple rules.
If you are also stuck in losses right now, don't expect the next trade to turn things around. First, stop and change your habits.
Starting tomorrow, set a 5% stop-loss for each trade, and cut it when it hits.
When profits exceed 30%, withdraw the principal first and play with the profits.
Spend 3 hours each week to review, understanding why you made money and why you lost.
The market is never short of opportunities; what it lacks is those who can survive to wait for opportunities. That night when LUNA crashed, I thought I was finished, but now looking at the numbers in my account, I understand: revenge in trading is not about defeating the market but overcoming the impulsive, greedy, and undisciplined self of the past.
What you lose, you can regain with skill. This is not just encouragement; it's a bloody reality.
If you currently feel helpless and confused about trading and want to learn more about cryptocurrency knowledge and first-hand cutting-edge news, follow up. Only by clearly understanding the market can you have confidence in your operations. Stable profits are far more practical than fantasizing about getting rich.
