The phone vibrated awake, catching a glimpse of "Position Warning"; I flipped over and went back to sleep. It's not numbness—eight years ago, the pain of liquidation left me with only two digits in my account has long flattened my panic.

When trading contracts, don't believe in myths; only trust how to survive until the next wave. These six rules, bought with real money, should be remembered by newcomers and shared among veterans.

1. Look at the big cycle, forget the small fluctuations

Only focus on weekly and monthly charts: only consider going long if the 30-day moving average is tilted upwards, and think short only when it turns down. Those who chase 5-minute K-lines are like those who cut in line—just when they catch up, the line disperses. Short cycles are smokescreens; long cycles are the true direction.

2. Add 20% more margin

The liquidation line must be more than 20% lower than the current price. Don't run into a blizzard wearing "the emperor's new clothes"—platforms love to trap those with just enough margin. In the past, I opened positions at the margin line, and a small fluctuation in the early hours led to liquidation, waking up to no profits. Since then, I'd rather earn less than let my position run naked.

3. Wait for signals, don't reach out to catch flying knives

Do not short when the price is consolidating at a high, and do not go long when it's consolidating at a low. At least wait for two weeks: only try shorting when the high breaks key support, and slowly go long when the low breaks out with volume. Last year, BTC consolidated around 28000 for three weeks; some tried to catch the bottom and got buried; I waited for it to stabilize at 26000 with volume before entering. I didn't catch the lowest point but lived steadily.

4. Before major events, adjust positions to "Gua Sha mode"

Mark CPI, Federal Reserve resolutions, and conflict events on the calendar, and lower positions three days in advance to a point where "even liquidation only costs pocket money." Don't be stubborn against macro trends; the year before last, before interest rate hikes, I cut my positions to 10%, and the market dropped 15% that day. While others shouted for market rescue, I could still drink tea and watch the show.

5. Stop-loss is like tooth extraction: hurts for a moment, don’t hurt for a lifetime

Cut losses exceeding 5% immediately; never cling to the fight. Holding onto a position is not bravery; it's giving the market a long-term meal ticket. I've seen friends unwilling to cut losses at 10%, only to give in after a week when losses reached 40%. Preserve the principal, and you’ll have the qualification to enter next time.

6. Only play mainstream coins, altcoins are a gamble

Only trade contracts on BTC and ETH. When altcoins rise, it feels like getting rich; when they drop, it feels like jumping off a cliff; essentially, it's a game of funds. You are not a player; you are fodder. I have fans who play altcoins, making 20% in the morning and then being halved in the afternoon, with customer service blacklisting them, turning five-digit profits into three-digit losses.

Final sentence

Contracts are a mirror reflecting your greed, fear, and luck. The market lacks legends; what it lacks are seasoned veterans who survive alongside Sister Lin.