When SOL was still hovering around $20, I kept wondering: How long will this journey take before I truly understand this market?

I entered three years ago with a starting capital of $10,000. I didn’t have any mentors to guide me, nor did I catch the kind of nationwide euphoria of 2021. ETH kept rising and falling, BTC repeatedly tested my patience, but I stuck to one principle—treat every trade as a level-up in a game. I didn’t aim to get rich overnight, I just wanted to be a bit smarter with every trade.

After 1,095 days and nights, my account grew to $9 million. Looking back, it wasn’t luck that got me here, but these six iron rules that the market has consistently validated.

**First, if a pump is fierce but the pullback is gentle, it's usually an accumulation phase.**
After a surge, if the price slowly drifts down, don’t panic. The real top is when there’s a big spike in volume followed by a cliff-like crash, targeting those chasing the top.

**Second, after a flash crash followed by a slow rebound, beware—this is often a distribution phase.**
“If it’s dropped this much already, how much lower can it go?”—that mindset is deadly. Whales love to cut down retail traders in moments of despair.

**Third, high volume at the top doesn’t always mean a peak—lack of volume is more dangerous.**
If trading is active near the top, there may still be one last push; but if volume dries up and price flatlines, that’s the real warning sign.

**Fourth, don’t rush in on a single spike in volume at the bottom—wait for sustained volume.**
One big green candle could just be a bull trap. The real deal is when price consolidates for a few days and then volume keeps increasing—that’s real money building positions.

**Fifth, technical indicators are on the candlesticks, but capital sentiment hides in the volume.**
Candlesticks just show the result; trading volume is the heartbeat of sentiment. When no one cares, volume dries up; when the market heats up, money votes with its feet.

**Sixth, the highest level is “nothingness”—no greed, no fear.**
Stay in cash when you should, don’t stress about missing out; act decisively when it’s time, don’t let fear hold you back. This isn’t being passive—it’s ingraining the right trading mindset to your core.

There’s never a shortage of opportunities in crypto; what’s lacking are people who can stay clear-headed in the dark. You’re not slow, you’re just running into walls with brute force. Light your own lamp, and the path will appear beneath your feet.