Many people ask me a familiar question: “Hey, I’m looking in the right direction, why am I still not making money?”
If you’ve ever followed the correct trend but your account still erodes, then this article is for you.
A few days ago, near midnight, a fellow trader sent me a screenshot of his account along with a message:
“What’s going on with this market, man? I see it’s about to go up, but as soon as I enter, it reverses; just cut my losses and it soars again.”
Sound familiar?
I dare say 90% of experienced traders have gone through this feeling.
The market is not wrong.
The mistake is that we lack the proper trading rhythm.
Why Do Most Traders Always Buy at the Top – Sell at the Bottom?
I’ve witnessed many people:
Seeing a long green candle → heart poundingSeeing a breakout → fear of missing out (FOMO) jumping inSeeing others boast about profits → FOMO rushing in
And the usual result is:
👉 Buying right at the distribution zone of the sharks.
When the market surges, greed makes you fear missing out.
When the market corrects slightly, fear causes panic selling.
Sharks understand this very well:
Accumulation phase → create pessimism so you sell cheaplyDistribution phase → create excitement so you chase and buy
If you often:
Buy at the peak after a strong rallyPanic sell when prices shake slightly
👉 then the problem isn’t analysis, but discipline and trading rhythm.
What Is the Essence of “Trading Rhythm”?
Trading rhythm isn’t about predicting prices; it’s about how you react to the market.
Based on my experience, trading rhythm consists of 3 core factors:
First: Timing
Not every day offers opportunities.
Beautiful opportunities may only appear a few times a month.
Knowing when to stay out is just as important as knowing when to enter.
Second: Position management
Never invest your entire capital
Never go all-in
Always enter small – correct mistakes – increase position only when right.
Third: Psychology
Don’t get greedy when in profit
Don’t panic when losing
A losing trader isn’t because they’re wrong often, but because they can’t handle the volatility.
According to Wyckoff’s method, the market always revolves around 4 stages:
Accumulation
Markup
Distribution
Markdown
The ones making money are those who:
Buy when the market is quiet
Sell when the crowd is euphoric
How I Find My Suitable Trading Rhythm
After many years of “paying tuition,” I’ve derived a few survival principles:
Never chase the market
If I don’t buy early, I accept missing out.
There’s always another train coming,
but boarding late often means a one-way ticket down the abyss.
Always have a plan before entering a trade
Before buying, I already know:
Where to buy
How much to buy
Where to cut losses if wrong
How to take profits if right
I often use trailing stop ( to move my take-profit point ):
Price rises → move the take-profit up
Preserve profits, avoid guessing the top
Divide into smaller parts to last longer
Divide orders when buying
Divide when selling
Practical example:
I buy a coin at the bottom zone, split into 3 parts
When the price increases by 10% → start selling
Each +5% → sell a part
👉 Not selling at the top,
👉 but an average profit of about 18% is very safe.
When You Lose Your Trading Rhythm – What To Do Immediately?
Even I sometimes lose my rhythm.
At those times, I do 3 things:
1️⃣ Stop trading immediately
Turn off the screen.
Go outside and breathe.
Psychological chaos → trades will go wrong.
2️⃣ Return to the original plan
Ask yourself:
Is the market wrong or am I wrong?
Are the entry conditions still valid?
3️⃣ Cut losses when necessary
I always remember Paul Tudor Jones’ words:
“Only a fool averages down on a losing position.”
Preserving capital is more important than saving face.
Last month, I lost 3 consecutive trades.
I paused for 2 days, analyzed again, then returned to the market.
Result: recovered everything and even made a profit.
Surviving Longer Is More Important Than Making Quick Gains
In this market:
👉 Longevity is more important than big wins.
Many criticize a 30% annual profit as low.
But if you sustain 30% per year over 10 years,
👉 your assets will grow more than 13 times.
Trading isn’t a sprint.
It’s a marathon.
Sometimes running
Sometimes walking
Sometimes stopping altogether
A good trader is someone who waits patiently, only trading when the setup is clear enough that no prayer is needed.
Conclusion
Seeing others boast about profits makes everyone eager to jump in.
But you must remember:
Those who boast today
Could blow up their accounts tomorrow
This market doesn’t honor reckless people; it only rewards disciplined ones.
👉 Finding your own trading rhythm is more important than any indicator.
Price going up or down – you can’t control that. But how you react is entirely in your hands.
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How Did I Maintain Profits Amid Crazy Fluctuations?
Many people ask me a familiar question: “Hey, I’m looking in the right direction, why am I still not making money?” If you’ve ever followed the correct trend but your account still erodes, then this article is for you. A few days ago, near midnight, a fellow trader sent me a screenshot of his account along with a message: “What’s going on with this market, man? I see it’s about to go up, but as soon as I enter, it reverses; just cut my losses and it soars again.” Sound familiar? I dare say 90% of experienced traders have gone through this feeling. The market is not wrong. The mistake is that we lack the proper trading rhythm.