At three in the morning, I was once again awakened by the alarm of a crash. The cold light of my phone screen reflected my dark circles; the trading software was drenched in blood red. At this moment, I always think of that old Zhang from Shenzhen—39 years old, running a design studio, picking up his child from school on time every day, owning two apartments: one for himself and one for his parents' retirement.
Six years ago, he entered the market with 500,000 in spare cash, never chasing trends, never believing in the nonsense of 'hundredfold coins', and never joining any signal groups. Last month, while having tea, he casually said, 'The numbers in my account look fine; they are enough for a stable life for the rest of my days.' When I probed for details, he smiled and waved his hand, saying, 'What secret is there? Just a few simple rules; if you stick to them, you'll keep your life.'
In these six years, I have paid too many tuition fees to truly understand the weight of his words:
“A steady stream lasts long”
Last year, there was a time when a certain coin surged 400% in three days, and people in the group went crazy sharing their gains. Old Zhang quietly cleared his position: “A sudden rise is like a drunken man dancing; it looks lively, but in the next second, he falls.” He only trades in those slow and steady upward trends—rising for three days and resting for two, with pullbacks never exceeding 10%. In such movements, there are truly patient people hidden.“The louder the gong, the fewer people listen”
A couple of days ago, a fan asked me: “Teacher, the AI coin recommended in the group is about to be listed on an exchange, should I buy in?” I directly blocked the group chat. The real project teams are busy working; who has the time to shout “hundred times, thousand times” every day in the group?When the sound of the trumpet drowns out the sound of landing, the scattered market is not far off.“Always leave a window for yourself”
I have seen a friend who went all in sitting on the rooftop smoking when Luna collapsed last year. Old Zhang's iron rule is:No matter how good the opportunity looks, only bet 30% of your family assets.He said: “The remaining 70% is not money; it’s the pillow that allows you to sleep soundly.”“Only what you can put in your pocket counts as money”
Last month, a certain mainstream coin doubled, and I greedily didn’t cash out, only to lose all profits three days later. Old Zhang, however, remains steadfast:Withdraw half when profits exceed 50%.“The numbers in the air will evaporate; the balance in your bank account can withstand the cold.” His words have saved me twice from major losses.“Don’t get involved in the commotion you don’t understand”
When NFTs were at their peak, I asked him why he didn’t participate. He pointed to a hand-drawn sketch on the studio wall: “I spent three months on this drawing, knowing how much each stroke is worth. Those pixel avatars? I don’t understand their value anchor.”When the entire market is in a frenzy, staying sober is the most valuable chip.
While writing, it was pouring rain outside. Suddenly, I remembered Old Zhang saying: “The market is like this rain; those who chase after it get soaked, while those who walk with an umbrella make it home.”
In this business, too many people mistake luck for skill. But the real survival rules are always written in anti-human places:
When others are flaunting millions in profits, you are cashing out; when others are crying and wailing, you are dollar-cost averaging; when others are researching hundredfold coins, you are reviewing and cutting losses.
There’s no secret to getting rich overnight, only a way of life that flows steadily. Those silly rules that are mocked for being 'too conservative' often become your only lifeline when the next black swan comes.
