In the winter of 2017, I curled up in a 5-square-meter basement in Beijing, with no heating, just two pieces of clothing and a quilt. My bank card balance was 87 yuan. During the day, I served plates; at night, I watched the K-line.

Eight years later, I am looking at over 38 million in my account.

It’s not luck. It’s lessons learned at the cost of four sacrifices.

**Rapid Rise Always Comes with Selling**

In 2017, a coin rose 320% in ten days, and I went all-in with 80,000 yuan. On the third day, it plummeted 18%, and in a week, I lost 60,000 yuan. Only later did I realize: when volume surges and prices jump more than 30%, then consolidates for 3 to 5 days, followed by a 15% drop on high volume, the big players start to sell. I’ve seen this pattern over ten times, and it’s never an exception.

**Sideways Trading at High Levels Is a Trap**

In 2019, holding mainstream coins sideways for two months, I added leverage to top up my position. As a result, I was cut in half. Now I understand: if sideways trading lasts over 20 days, turnover is below 2%, and the deviation from the 20-day moving average exceeds 20%, that’s a signal to sell. Once triggered, I immediately reduce my position.

**Look at Volume at the Bottom, Not Price**

On the day of the 2020 3/12 crash, I bottomed out and got caught. What is the true bottom? Shrinking volume consolidation plus gentle volume increase with three consecutive small bullish candles. Last year, BTC showed this pattern at 25,000. I went all-in, sold at 42,000, and made 5.8 million in a single trade.

**Volume Reveals the Truth; Position Size Determines Life or Death**

Only those who survive long enough have the right to win. I only trade half my position and never leverage. Last year, I entered a coin only after a fivefold increase in volume; once the trend broke, I took profits immediately, earning 12 times, and avoided the subsequent crash.

In the crypto world, it’s never about who is the smartest, but who survives the longest. The market changes, but human nature remains the same. Keep your bottom line, and you will go far.