Time is fair; it gives someone like me, who doesn't come from a professional background, the same 24 hours. The key is how to make good use of every 90 minutes.
Two years ago, I was still working in the kitchen of a fast food chain, busy from six in the morning until eight in the evening, too tired to stand up straight. Occasionally, I had to borrow money for instant noodles for dinner from my colleagues.
At that time, like most people, I was watching the wild fluctuations of the cryptocurrency market and couldn't help but follow the trend to enter contracts. I neither understood technical analysis nor had my own trading system; I either blindly followed the 'experts' online or rushed to open positions as soon as I saw cryptocurrency trending.
The result is predictable - in less than a year, not only did I lose the few thousand I painstakingly saved, but I also incurred debts of nearly 20,000.
Everyone around me advised me to stop messing around, but I was stubborn: if others could make money in contracts, as long as I figured out the way, I could definitely do it too.
Now, two years later, my contract account has reached eight figures. Looking back, what truly turned my situation around was not sophisticated skills but a set of 'simple methods' I developed myself.
Two golden time windows: the secret to achieving twice the result with half the effort
The market has its own breathing rhythm; grasping it means you don't have to stare at the screen all day.
One of my most important insights is: you don't need to stare at the screen all day, but rather focus your efforts during key time periods. While working in a fast-food restaurant, I learned to give my all during peak dining hours and conserve energy during slower times. This work philosophy also applies to trading.
I particularly value two golden time periods:
The London market funding window from 3 PM to 5 PM - when European funds enter, the market direction is particularly clear, and false breakouts are rare. This is my key trading time period every day, with high market liquidity and relatively rational price movements, eliminating the need for guesswork.
The non-farm payroll data window on the first Friday of every month at 8:30 PM (Eastern Time) - after the data is released, the market moves like a floodgate has opened. I follow a simple principle: enter in the direction of the first large real body candlestick, with a success rate significantly higher than usual.
Smart traders no longer follow the 'ascetic watching' approach but have turned to a more efficient method: the '90-minute rule.' This means concentrating all high-intensity judgment operations into a single 90-minute time block.
The market won't run away; opportunities will always be there. By focusing on these two time periods, I achieved stable profits last year.
My 'three axes' indicators: simple, yet not simple
I do not believe in any 'holy grail' indicators, but rather trust in the power of a combination of indicators.
My trading system is based on the resonance of three technical indicators:
Bollinger Bands lower band touching the bottom three times combined with volume analysis: When the price touches the Bollinger Bands lower band for the third time, but the trading volume gradually increases, this is often a signal that large funds are starting to accumulate positions, and it's likely a precursor to a rebound.
RSI breaks the 50 threshold: When the RSI indicator breaks the 50 median line, it often signals a real trend reversal. However, using it alone can lead to misjudgments, so it needs to be combined with other indicators.
The OBV energy wave leading indicator: If the price hasn't moved but the OBV has started to increase, this is often a signal to position yourself early. Last year's big surge in Ethereum, I relied on this combination to enter two days in advance.
I do not pursue complex technical indicators but rather use several simple tools to the fullest. In the crypto market, there are many ways to make money; your task is to find the one that suits you best and become an expert in that niche.
Dynamic profit-taking: the wisdom of holding onto profits
In the highly volatile cryptocurrency market, managing capital drawdown is key to long-term survival.
One of my most praised strategies is the dynamic profit-taking strategy:
In the early stages of a market launch, first realize half of the profits and reclaim the principal and part of the profits. This is not just to lock in profits but also to stabilize the mindset.
For the remaining position, I set a trailing stop-loss without preset target levels; as long as the trend continues, I do not exit. The market cannot rise forever, and the key to long-term survival is learning to lock in profits.
Profit reinvestment requires extra caution. In the crypto market, there is a high degree of uncertainty in projects, and reinvestment may lead to unexpected losses.
In the last cycle, one of the mistakes I made was reinvesting a lot of profits in a gambling-like manner, just because I had stablecoins sitting on the exchange, I couldn't help but keep trading with them.
Survival rules learned from bloody lessons
These methods did not form overnight, but were lessons learned through hard-earned money.
Overtrading is the trap I’ve paid the most tuition for. When I first started trading, I was obsessed with staying 'active'; every candlestick felt like an opportunity. But I quickly realized that trading more does not equal more profits. In fact, frequent trading often made my wallet lighter and my regrets heavier.
Fatigue is the biggest enemy in trading. When I am exhausted, decision-making becomes as unreliable as a flawed smart contract. Decision fatigue hits harder than a flash crash. Now, I treat sleep as a non-negotiable rule. If I am not feeling well, I do not trade.
Rules are not just guidelines but lifesavers. Early on, I thought I was smarter than my trading plan. 'Just this once,' I would reassure myself, moving the stop-loss point or increasing my position. But the truth is: your rules exist for a reason. They are distilled from painful lessons.
Mindset determines everything: How I overcame emotional trading
In trading, emotions are often the biggest enemy.
When I started making money, I felt extreme excitement, a feeling that becomes addictive and makes you want to recreate it continuously. However, overtrading or frequently rotating positions often stem from chasing that feeling rather than making rational investment decisions.
When faced with losses, I tend to fall into a 'losing streak' cycle, where each trade is worse than the last. At this time, the best option is not to make another trade but to completely withdraw. Stepping away allowed me to gain the clarity needed to start over.
The market owes you nothing; staying humble is the only way to remain in the game. Nothing can inflate a trader's ego more than a big win. But the market always finds a way to remind you who is really in charge when you least expect it.
In conclusion
What truly drives people out of the game is not market downturns, but losing all the principal without understanding the rules. Although the market may be cold, holding onto reliable methods always presents opportunities for a comeback.
The cryptocurrency market is a 'player versus player' arena, where everyone is pursuing their own interests. You are fighting alone; no one is genuinely considering your needs.
But this does not mean you cannot succeed - it just means you need to trust your judgment, do your homework, and stick to your rules.
Whenever I reflect on my journey from the fast-food kitchen to full-time trading, I realize that the biggest change is not the change in account balance but the reshaping of my thinking patterns. The market won’t run away; opportunities will always be there; the key is to live until the day you can seize the opportunity.
I hope my experiences inspire you. After all, in the world of cryptocurrency, persistence is the ultimate key to success. Follow Ake to learn more first-hand information and precise points in the crypto space, becoming your guide in the cryptocurrency world; learning is your greatest wealth!
