Having been in the crypto space for eight years, my daily trading routine boils down to two things: monitoring the charts and constantly validating those trading rules that have been tested countless times. Honestly, it’s precisely because I stick to these principles that I’ve survived through wave after wave of intense market volatility. Today, I want to share these experiences in hopes of helping you avoid some pitfalls.

**Look at the 30-minute K-line, don’t just focus on the daily chart**

Many people only watch the daily K-line, and when they see a decline, they give up immediately. But if you switch the timeframe to 30 minutes, you’ll see a completely different story. Those daily candles with long upper shadows that look scary often have well-structured setups on smaller timeframes, and the next day can often see a big reversal. The key to short-term trading is this: synchronize the small timeframe with the overall market rhythm; only then can your entries be confident.

**Don’t force trades if the direction is wrong**

When the trend is chaotic and the structure is broken, even a quick glance can be costly. Once the market rhythm is disrupted, no matter how hard you try to trade, the results will only get worse. Trading with the trend is not just advice; it’s an iron law.

**Hot coins are worth trading**

Coins without themes, no attention from the market, and low liquidity are useless no matter how perfect your technical analysis is. Coins like $SOL that have market buzz and solid fundamentals are good short-term targets.

**Control your hands, stick to your plan**

Emotions are the biggest enemy in trading. Orders entered without a plan are usually lessons learned the hard way. Develop a solid trading plan and execute it with conviction; don’t let market fluctuations lead you around by the nose.

**Others’ opinions are only for reference**

Any opinion, including those from so-called experts, should only be considered as a reference. The final decision-making power lies with you, relying on your own analysis and judgment.

**Choose the direction first, then pick the coin**

If the direction is correct, everything will go smoothly; if it’s wrong, no effort will help. That’s why some people make money doing one thing and lose doing another. Once you accurately judge the trend of $BTC, subsequent trades become much simpler.

**Buy rising coins, don’t try to bottom-fish**

The biggest mistake people make is waiting for a rebound. Thinking “it should go up soon,” but the more they wait, the lower the price gets. Market funds always flow toward the least resistance. Buying during an uptrend is true trend-following. This approach is less effort, has a higher win rate, and feels more secure.

**After big gains or big losses, must go to cash**

I’ve tested this rule countless times. After making a big profit or suffering a major loss, you must stop trading. Go to cash, review the market, and more importantly, review yourself. Understand why you made that profit or loss, clarify your thoughts, and then continue. Doing so can improve the accuracy of your subsequent decisions by 90%.

Each of these eight rules has been earned with real money. Sticking to these principles will make your trading stability completely different.