Five Years in Crypto: Why Do You Make Money Slowly but Lose Money Very Quickly?

Last night, a follower of mine for three years sent a very honest message: “Hey, I’ve been in crypto for three years, but I always feel like I make little profit and lose quickly.” After reading it, I remained silent for a few seconds. Not because I didn’t know how to respond, but because I saw myself from many years ago in that question. The truth is: it’s not that you’re bad, but you’re making the same mistakes that almost everyone in crypto has made.

1. Why Do You Take Profit When You Make a Little, But Hold on When You Lose? This is not a knowledge issue, but human instinct. When there’s profit: fear of losing → close early When there’s a loss: hope to recover → hold the position Crypto trades 24/7, with high volatility, so emotions are amplified many times. I once analyzed my own trading history and discovered something very scary: Winning trades: held for an average of less than 3 days Losing trades: held for an average of over 3 weeks That means I always took small profits but suffered big losses. How I Corrected My Mistakes Very simple but extremely effective: Before each trade, clearly note the stop-loss and take-profit points When the price hits the stop-loss → exit immediately, no debate When reaching the profit target → follow the plan, no greed This discipline didn’t make me win every trade, but it helped me not die from a bad trade.
2. The More “Insider” News, The More Painful the Loss I used to be obsessed with rumors, secret tips, people “leaking” information. The usual results: News comes out after the price has already run Its entry is late → price reverses Cut out → price rises again Later, I understood: In an era of economic focus, stories always precede value. Most coins on the market: Lack sustainable cash flow Lack real applications Can’t survive through a cycle What helped me stabilize I narrowed my portfolio and focused on: Bitcoin Ethereum Assets that have: Survived multiple cycles Have real ecosystems Have genuine market demand Not get rich quickly, but not die unfairly.
3. No Capital Management, No Matter How Much Money You Have, It’s Not Enough This is the fatal flaw of most newcomers: Seeing volatility → want to enter the trade Almost always fully invested The market turns → there’s no way out Currently, I apply extremely conservative capital management: No more than 2% of total assets per trade When assets are highly volatile → reduce position size further Thanks to that: Continuing to trade after several wrong calls is still possible No psychological pressure More rational decision-making Deep dips are opportunities, especially in an uptrend. But I only act when the trend is clear, not guessing blindly.
4. The Secret That Helps Me Turn the Tables: No Catching the Bottom, No Guessing the Top I used to always want: Buy at the exact bottom Sell at the exact top Results: Bought and still fell Sold and the price kept soaring Now, it’s different: I wait for trend confirmation Accept to buy a bit higher Watch for correction waves to enter in parts This way: Less anxiety Fewer mistakes Miss the very start, but capture the biggest part of the trend
5. The Survival Rule in Crypto: Slow and Steady Wins the Race After eight years of hustle, I realize I survived not because of genius, but because of some very “worldly” principles: Small fluctuations → do nothing High risk → prioritize capital preservation Each rally → withdraw capital + some profit Losing three consecutive trades → stop trading immediately Focus on assets that have stored value through many cycles Additionally, I always: Withdraw some profits into stablecoins or fiat Keep long-term assets in cold wallets Avoid over-trading just because… bored This provides a sense of security, and when the psychology is stable, decisions are better. Conclusion Crypto is not a sprint, but a marathon. For ordinary people to survive and go far: You can’t rely on luck You can’t rely on hope You can only rely on discipline, rhythm, and self-awareness The most valuable thing I learned after eight years is not the amount of money earned, but a truth: The market always changes, but greed and fear do not. Whoever controls those two things will have a chance to live long and thrive in crypto.