I've looked at too many people's trading accounts, and the reasons for losses are actually quite similar—it's not that they misread the market direction, but that their positions were already mishandled.

There's an old saying in the community: newcomers rush to go all-in, veterans know when to exit, but true experts can stay out of the market and wait. However, even more challenging than being out of the market is whether you can control your own positions. This isn't some advanced skill; simply put, it's the bottom line for survival.

Before placing an order, ask yourself a few questions:

How much money do you plan to invest in this trade? Will you invest all at once or build the position gradually? At what point should you admit defeat and exit? Can your account withstand the market’s repeated fluctuations?

Many people haven't thought it through, and then losses come—not overnight, but gradually consumed by out-of-control positions.

Probably every trader has experienced: going all-in, only to be caught by a small fluctuation; finally making a profit, then rushing to add more, only to be hit hard by a retracement and forced to exit; when a real big opportunity arrives, the account is already scarred, and they can only watch helplessly as they miss it.

The problem is never about judgment but about the position itself.

To change the situation, it’s actually not complicated—just a few simple principles:

**First, diversify your entries.** Don’t always try to go all-in at once. Start with small amounts to test the waters, confirm the direction before scaling up. This reduces risk and prevents a single mistake from wiping out everything.

**Second, accept imperfection.** Don’t always fantasize about buying at the lowest point or selling at the highest. The market won’t wait for you to decide. Be content with 70% profit; perfect trades only exist in memories.

**Third, stop-loss is your protective talisman.** Trading without a stop-loss is essentially gambling. Set your stop-loss points; exit when needed, and don’t fight the market.

**Fourth, allocate funds in layers.** Manage long-term holdings, swing trades, and short-term trades separately. Don’t mix them. This way, if one strategy fails, it won’t affect your overall position.

**Fifth, use leverage rationally.** It can amplify gains but also losses, and it won’t save poor positions. If you can’t manage your basic positions well, don’t even touch leverage.

Ultimately, market conditions determine how much you can earn, but position management decides how long you can survive in this market.

Keep your positions steady, and your emotions will stay stable; when emotions are stable, your trading logic can return to rationality. Remember, those who truly last in the crypto space are not the ones who earn the fastest, but those with the strongest risk awareness and the most stable lives.

Only when your positions are in check do you have the confidence to talk about long-term growth in this market. The same logic applies to privacy coins like $ZEC—no matter how advanced the technology or how hot the narrative, sound risk management is essential.