Another New Year begins, and some trading logic that I couldn't understand for many years suddenly became clear recently.

Having been in the crypto market for so many years, I have long since transformed from a novice into a "seasoned leek." I've always heard people say not to short when expecting a decline, and not to go long when expecting a rise. At first, I thought it was very contradictory. Later, I understood — minute-level K-line movements and hourly-level ones are completely different, and they often move in opposite directions.

The core issue is: are you trading for the short term, ultra-short term, or aiming for the long term? Many times, because this isn't clear, traders start placing random orders. Either they can't sit still without any positions, or once they have positions, they rush to sell at the slightest rise, getting cold feet after making a little profit. And what if they get caught? Holding on stubbornly without stop-loss, watching their accounts shrink.

Ironically, timely stop-loss is often the only way to preserve capital and survive longer.

So, the approach now is very simple: before placing an order, ask yourself — how long do I want to hold? Once the cycle is locked in, don’t be scared by small fluctuations. But don’t stubbornly hold on either; if it’s time to cut, then cut. That’s the wisdom of trading.