I once ignored a textbook setup and paid the price. A popular altcoin was forming a bearish head and shoulders on the 4-hour chart. I saw it, even marked it out. But I convinced myself the fundamentals were too strong for the pattern to play out. Instead of respecting the chart, I held onto my bias. The price broke down exactly as the pattern predicted, and I took a big loss. That moment taught me to never argue with price action. Charts reflect what people are doing, not what they’re supposed to believe. No matter how strong the fundamentals are, the market can still move against them in the short term. Since then, I’ve made it a rule: when a pattern is clear, trade it or avoid the market — never fight it. Technical analysis gives clues about where the market might go, and ignoring it out of stubbornness is dangerous. That trade was painful, but it sharpened my mindset. Now I respect the chart more than the narrative. I always ask myself: “Am I trading what I see or what I want to believe?” The answer defines the outcome.
