After seven years in the crypto space, I've realized a harsh truth: those who know how to buy are apprentices; those who know how to sell are masters.

This is not an exaggeration. During the 2020 bull run, I bet on ADA, building positions in batches starting at $0.03. In less than three months, it shot up to $1.2—my account ballooned nearly 40 times. During that period, the first thing I did every morning was check my balance. The extra zeros almost hurt my eyes, and I even started bookmarking my favorite properties on real estate apps.

The result? I didn’t sell a single coin.

ADA then plummeted like falling off a cliff back to $0.2, wiping out 80% of my profits, and the idea of buying a house became a joke. That slap in the face was harsh, but it taught me something crucial: this market doesn’t lack opportunities to get rich quick; what’s missing is the ability to actually put money in your pocket.

Later, I developed a take-profit and stop-loss method suitable for ordinary people—you don’t need to stare at the screen all day, but it will save your life.

**Let’s talk about taking profits first.** I use the “ladder method”: let’s say a coin goes from $1 to $2, I sell 30% of my holdings, taking back my principal for peace of mind. If it rises to $3, I sell another 30%, and for the remaining 40%, I set a trailing stop—if the price falls 15% from the highest point, it auto-sells. This way, you won’t miss out on the main surge, and you won’t just watch your profits evaporate.

**Now for stop-losses.** I have a strict rule: never lose more than 5% of my principal on a single trade. Every time I buy, I immediately set a -10% stop order, like tying a safety rope to my trade. Some say this way you might miss out on rebounds—and yes, I have missed out on some doubling gains due to stop-losses; my friends even joked that I was timid. But three months later, that coin went to zero, and I was glad I pulled out in time.

Over the years, I’ve seen too many stories: some people get rich overnight, but many more burn through their principal in repeated swings. The ones who actually make money aren’t usually the luckiest, but those who execute their strategy with machine-like discipline.

There’s never a shortage of opportunities in crypto, but once your principal is gone, it’s really gone. Surviving is far more important than making quick money.