Trading short-term in the crypto space, I've experienced many losses from chasing highs and bottom-fishing. My account has been halved more than once, and that feeling really hurts.

After repeatedly struggling through failures, I gradually developed my own trading discipline. I wouldn't claim this methodology is very advanced, but honestly, it has saved me several times.

**Don't chase highs; wait for a pullback is the first rule.** The moment when the price breaks above the previous high is the most tempting, but the most tempting markets are often traps. My approach is not to rush in; wait until the price retraces to the lower or middle Bollinger Band before taking action. I'd rather watch the market run away than get caught in a trap.

**Never catch falling knives during a downtrend.** This is the second ironclad rule. When a knife is falling, no matter how itchy your hands, you must hold back. Wait at least until the 1-hour chart shows a consolidation pattern and the price stabilizes—that's when you can truly pick up bargains.

**The third detail is to avoid quiet periods.** Around 2:30 PM and after 10:30 PM, the market is often dead or barely moving. In such conditions, price action is most prone to distortion, and a false breakout can easily trigger your stop-loss. Missing these periods is much better than forcing trades during them.

**Volume is the real steering wheel.** Candlestick patterns without volume are fake signals—don't be fooled. Only when volume clearly increases does it indicate real money movement, and only then is the trend worth following.

**The last rule is that stop-loss must be a strict rule.** Before opening a position, you must have a clear trading logic, and the stop-loss level should be set in advance, and it must be tight. Once hit, admit your mistake and exit immediately. Losing money should be done with clarity, so you can learn from it for the next trade.

The key to winning in short-term trading isn't about who makes the most profit, but about who can survive longer. Sticking to these rules may not make your account skyrocket, but it will help you sit at the table more steadily, and that's enough.