After ten years of hustling in the cryptocurrency space, I made a crazy decision six years ago—to quit my job and trade full-time. Going from debt to financial freedom, what truly turned things around for me was a few words from a senior trader one late night that completely woke me up.

He made me understand one thing: retail investors are not born to be the “dumb money.” The key is whether you can see your own position in the market clearly. After that night, I summed up the eight stages every trader goes through, and I review them before every trade. This self-awareness system is what helped me earn back everything I had lost.

If you’re planning to enter this market, I hope my experience can give you some inspiration.

**Let me start with the most painful realization**: When you’re debating whether to sell, ask yourself one question—if my analysis is correct, why is the market moving in the opposite direction? There’s only one answer: you’re wrong. The market is always right, and accepting this is more important than anything else.

**The Iron Law of Trends**
The market has inertia—this is a lesson I learned the hard way. Once a clear trend forms, signals that look like reversals are most likely just consolidations, and true trend reversals are extremely rare.

**Two Special Reversal Patterns**
Climax reversals and terminal flag patterns—I rarely use these to open new positions, but more often to manage positions I already hold. Why? Because their entry timing is too hard to grasp, and one misstep can leave you trapped.

That said, it’s still important to study these patterns. Only by understanding the logic behind every price movement can you stay calm in the face of surges or crashes, and not be swayed by emotion.

The market will test the boundaries of your perception in every possible way. Those who survive aren’t just lucky—they understand how to respect the market, and know when to admit defeat when necessary.