Watching the bouncing K-line on the trading screen is like the ups and downs of life—only those who hold the bottom line can emerge from the dark period of the market.

I have a cousin who experienced a collapse in life. During the most confused moments, he couldn't find a reason to go on. I didn't give him any motivational clichés or big truths; instead, I directly pulled him into the crypto world. Handing him a cup of hot coffee, I calmly said: "In this market, you either get eliminated with nothing or learn to survive. To stay alive, there are 8 rules that must be etched into your bones."

**Rule 1: Break the dream of getting rich overnight, respect the natural laws of the market**

The scythe in the crypto world loves to harvest those hoping for a quick turnaround. At first, my cousin didn't understand at all and asked me: "Why can't I recover my losses through quick trading?"

The answer is harsh: the data is in front of you, over 90% of short-term traders end up losing. Those who fantasize about turning things around with high leverage and a "all-in" often lose the worst. The market has its internal logic; it never cares about your expectations—true gains come from reverence for the rules, not from clinging to illusions.

Every novice thinks they will be that lucky 10%. But the market is cold; it only speaks through data.

**Rule 2: Be extra cautious when making money, guard against the abyss after the peak**

Three months later, my cousin excitedly ran over: "Sis, I made a killing! Doubled in a week!"

This is the most dangerous moment.

I didn't celebrate but asked seriously: "Do you have a take-profit plan? When will you exit?"

He hesitated for a long time. That's the problem. Confidence during profit is the easiest to turn into greed, and greed is the first step to breaking a trader's psychological defenses. Countless myths of sudden wealth have been destroyed by the words "wait a bit longer, it will go up again."

Profit is illusory; only what you truly pocket is yours. Setting a reasonable take-profit point is not being conservative but a matter of survival.

**Rules 3 to 8: The core logic**

The subsequent rules focus on risk management, mindset building, capital allocation, etc. I told him: don't dream of hitting every trade, don't use living expenses as capital, don't make decisions based on emotions, don't chase hot trends, don't only look at the gains, and don't ignore fundamentals.

These seem basic, but very few can truly execute them.

**The real winner is not the one who earns the most, but the one who survives the longest**

My cousin has now been stable in this market for over a year. Not getting rich overnight, but not losing everything either. More importantly, he has rediscovered the reason to keep going—not through fantasies, but through understanding risks and respecting the rules.

The crypto world is like a mirror. It amplifies human greed but also rewards those who stay calm enough. After going through several cycles, you'll realize that those who laugh last are not the ones with the strongest gambling instincts but those who can hold on.

K-lines will keep bouncing, and the market will always be full of temptations. But if you can engrain these 8 rules into your bones, at least you won't lose too badly—and that, already, is winning.