8 Years of Contract Trading: From Account Burnout to the "Survivor" Lesson

I have been trading contracts for nearly 8 years. In the early years, it can be said that I was relentlessly beaten down by the market. I have witnessed stories of people getting rich overnight, but I have also experienced many times the feeling of having a zero account, an empty mind, hands trembling and unable to move the mouse. Many people enter this market with illusions of quick wins, using high leverage to find a “shortcut.” But after all these years of struggle, I realize a simple yet brutal truth: the rarest thing is not hundredfold profits, but those who have enough resilience to survive through several major up-and-down cycles. Below are my survival lessons, which may not be glamorous but are enough for you to endure long-term.

1. When Stuck in a Position, Accept the Loss First My biggest mistake in the early stages was: the more I lost, the more I tried to recover. Whenever the price moved against me, I would add more, hoping to lower the average entry price. The result was usually only one thing: the position ballooned, psychological pressure skyrocketed, and with one sweep, it was all gone. Later, I understood that adding to a position only makes sense if it reduces risk, not to satisfy the ego. In a downtrend, continuously buying more is like reaching out to catch a falling knife. The correct approach is not to hold on stubbornly, but to cut losses, step back, and reassess the entire scenario.
2. The More Calm the Market, the More Cautious You Should Be Many people enjoy sideways markets because of the feeling of “safety.” But my experience shows that after a strong rally, prolonged pauses often indicate large players gradually distributing their positions, not necessarily preparing for a new surge. Especially dangerous is when social media is flooded with profit-sharing posts, and buy/sell signals are abundant. When most people feel it’s easy to make money, that is often not the right time to place big bets. The market is not designed for the majority to win together.
3. Position Management Is a Life-and-Death Line I have seen firsthand people making huge amounts of money with high leverage, only to lose everything in a week due to a wrong judgment. When your position exceeds your capacity to endure, trading is no longer a strategy but a gamble. My current simple rule:

• Only risk about 2% of total capital per trade.
• When the market trend is unclear, reduce position size or even refrain from trading.
• Capital preservation is always more important than chasing quick profits.

4. Long-Term Profit Comes from Psychology, Not Just Technicals Technical indicators can be learned in a few months, but controlling emotions takes many years. Greed when in profit and blind hope when in loss are the two biggest traps. In the past, I often held winning trades too long, wanting to “grab a little more,” and held losing trades because I thought “the price is about to reverse.” Now, I set clear discipline:

• Take profits gradually when exceeding expectations.
• When the scenario is wrong, there’s no room for luck.
• Not trading is also a trading decision.

5. Going Slow Actually Means Going Faster Beginners often dream of a spectacular turnaround, but those who stay long enough understand: this market is a endurance race. For example, Bitcoin’s price can multiply several times over a few years, but there are always deep corrections along the way that cause most investors to give up halfway. Those who survive until the end are those willing to miss opportunities, as long as they avoid major mistakes. Missing a trade doesn’t make you poor, but a wrong decision can wipe out years of gains. Conclusion Some people get rich from news, others lose everything due to overconfidence. But those who make sustainable money share one trait: they consider risk management instinctive. If you find yourself repeatedly making the same mistakes, the problem may not be the market, but your trading approach. Opportunities are always there, but only those with patience and alertness can seize them. Keep your rhythm steady, protect your capital, and the road ahead will be much longer and brighter.