Speaking of short-term trading, I've suffered quite a few losses. Chasing highs and getting caught, cutting losses on flying knives—those painful experiences once made me want to give up. It wasn't until I took a step back, reviewed my trades, and reflected that I gradually figured out the way. I’ve summarized some practical trading rules and now share them with everyone.

First is the issue of chasing highs. Many people see the price break through previous highs and rush to follow, but the result is often being caught at the top. My current approach is to resist this temptation and wait until the price pulls back to the lower or middle band of the Bollinger Bands before considering entering. Although this means missing some of the upward move, it greatly reduces the risk of being caught at a high. This method is especially suitable for volatile coins like XRP.

Catching flying knives is another big pit. During market crashes, that itchy feeling to buy the dip is strong. But now I’ve learned to wait. Wait until the price stabilizes clearly, especially when a consolidation pattern appears in the hourly chart, then I consider entering. Don’t impulsively jump in on rebounds; this way, the risk of getting caught empty-handed is much lower.

Timing is also crucial. Around 2:30 PM and after 10:30 PM, market volume significantly shrinks, and the trend becomes unclear. I generally avoid trading during these times. The market during quiet periods has no real reference value; rather than forcing a trade, it’s better to rest.

Volume is an important signal for my entries and exits. As long as the volume shrinks, I ignore even the most beautiful candlestick patterns. Only when volume clearly expands does it indicate that the big players are truly moving. A market with no volume is fundamentally untrustworthy.

Finally, and most importantly, strictly execute stop-losses. Before each entry, I must be clear about my logic and set a relatively tight stop-loss. Once the stop-loss level is hit, I decisively exit the trade, don’t feel bad about the small loss—this is to preserve the remaining bullets. The next opportunity will come, but an account that goes bankrupt has no next chance.

These principles sound simple, but sticking to them is the real challenge. Climbing out of the pit of losses relies on repeatedly validating these disciplines. Now the market is in my hands, the light is on. Whether you follow or not, the choice is yours.