Most newcomers entering the crypto market have the same dream: to make quick money through cleverness. But reality is often much harsher than imagined. Some come in with good intentions but end up paying tuition and leaving disappointed after half a year; others endure multiple cycles, but what ultimately allows them to turn things around? It’s not some advanced technical secret, but the simplest two words—discipline.

In this market, your biggest opponent is always the person in the mirror. Many traders rely heavily on technical analysis, spending their days drawing lines, studying various indicator combinations, and filling their hard drives with chart screenshots. Yet, their accounts still perform poorly: losing more than they gain. Ultimately, short-term trading is a game of emotion management and capital allocation. Those candlestick charts? They are just records of the past, not prophecies of the future.

There is a common industry consensus worth remembering: 5% of making money comes from technique, while the remaining 95% depends on mindset. From another perspective, the three most common psychological traps in the market can almost trip up everyone.

**Greed causes people to make mistakes.** When a bullish candle surges, it feels like the sky is falling, and they’re reluctant to lock in profits, holding on tightly. The result? They get shaken out like on a roller coaster, and the previous gains vanish in an instant.

**Fear causes people to cut losses.** When prices pull back, their mindset collapses—either they blindly accept losses and sell, or they stubbornly hold on. Both choices are wrong.

**FOMO causes people to chase highs.** Seeing others’ account numbers and comparing them to their own losses, anxiety skyrockets. They rush to follow the trend and buy in, only to become the bagholder at a high point.

Many people haven’t missed out on good coins; they just can’t hold through volatility. They buy up 10% gains and panic sell, missing out on 10x opportunities later; or they panic and cut losses at a 20% decline, only to watch the rebound and see others celebrating. This isn’t a technical issue; it’s a psychological one. Discipline and cognition are the true keys to surviving and thriving in the crypto market.