Discipline is the only chip to survive

I've stumbled in this market. I've seen miracles where $1,000 turns into $20,000 overnight, and I've also witnessed more people having their accounts wiped out in two minutes. After eight years of navigating this market, one realization has become increasingly clear: whether contracts make money or not has almost nothing to do with luck; it all depends on discipline.

Many people still fantasize that trading contracts is about "prediction." Wrong. The true winners are not the ones with the most accurate predictions, but those who know how to "stay alive." Just like in Texas Hold'em, winning isn't about getting good cards, but knowing when to play, when to fold, and when to go all-in.

Today, I want to share seven rules for surviving in the market. These might be more useful than candlestick charts.

**Rule 1: Fully understand the game rules before sitting down**

Perpetual contracts don't have an expiration date, that's true, but the costs never disappear. Many people get caught up in funding rates without realizing it. When the rate is negative, shorts pay longs—that indicates the market is falling, and the rate is essentially the "protection fee" paid by shorts. Conversely, when the rate is positive, longs pay shorts, and chasing high at this time is like giving away money.

I once went long during a super high rate of 0.1%, and not only was my direction wrong, but I also lost money every hour. That’s not called a loss; that’s being bloodsucked. Some losses are visible, others are hidden. The rate is the sneakiest knife.

**Rule 2: 3x leverage is the minimum**

The stupidest thing beginners do is blindly believe in high leverage. 50x, 100x leverage? That’s not trading; that’s gambling. High leverage compresses your margin buffer to almost nothing, and a slight market fluctuation can trigger liquidation.

Many people don’t realize: the higher the leverage you use, the less friendly the market is to you. Just a 1% price move can knock you out. That’s why those who are fully leveraged and overconfident often don’t survive a full market cycle.

Real winners are very conservative. They know that staying alive to make the next trade is far more important than making a lot on this one.