The market will never wrong those who respect its rules, nor will it spare any impatient speculator.

"Would have been perfect if I had bought the dip earlier. Now, would entering the market turn me into a bagholder?"
"Support level broke, is that a signal? Need to observe..."
"Another surge! Damn, I should have taken action earlier, wait for the correction to add more."
"This trend looks a bit strange, but what if I cut at the lowest point and lose big? Let’s wait and see..."

If you find yourself thinking like this often, you can basically confirm—you’ve already entered the beginner stage of "leek" trading.

As an experienced player who has been immersed in the altcoin market for years and been cut many times, I want to talk about the most raw psychological realities in this circle in the most straightforward way. No need for complex trading theories to scare you; let’s be honest and discuss why the vast majority’s operational logic is counterintuitive—buying high and getting trapped, selling at lows.

**Emotions Always Lag Behind the Market by Half a Beat**

Simply put, leeks aren’t cut because of poor technical skills or information gaps. What’s the root cause? The mindset always lags behind the market’s rhythm.

When the market is euphoric, you’re overwhelmed by FOMO(, afraid of missing out), and rush in to chase the highs; when the market turns blood-red, fear overpowers reason, and you hide in the corner unwilling to buy the dip; when a rebound comes, you start regretting—why didn’t I buy at the bottom?

This cycle is like the growth pattern of leeks. One crop is harvested, and another grows back. Year after year, the flowers look similar; year after year, people are different—the "leek" group in the market repeats the same mistakes over and over.

**Three Deadly Stages of the Psychological Cycle**

The first stage is chasing the high. When Bitcoin surges from the bottom, you watch the gains grow day by day, your heart pounding. "Missed this wave, will I regret for life?" FOMO explodes, ignoring technicals, and you buy in impulsively. Usually, that moment is the peak of the cycle.

The second stage is the difficulty of catching the bottom. The decline deepens, and your unrealized losses grow. Rational voices emerge—"Buy at the bottom, turn around with this move!" But when near the bottom, you start to waver—"Will it drop further?" "Will this coin go to zero?" As a result, you hesitate to act or buy a little but don’t add more.

The third stage is regret. When a rebound occurs, you finally enter or add to your position, only for a second dip to follow. This is when your mindset collapses—should I cut losses? Should I hold on? Most people choose to cut, and then the familiar curve appears—just after they sell, the price rebounds.

**Why Do We Fall Into This Cycle**

Humans are naturally sensitive to uncertainty. When you see large losses, the amygdala( responsible for fear response) overreacts. At this point, no amount of data analysis helps—you just want to stop the bleeding. Conversely, seeing others make big money causes dopamine to spike, suppressing rational thinking.

The volatility of the crypto market amplifies this psychological effect. Daily drops of 20% or rises of 30% are common, and such intense fluctuations cause emotional swings. Long-term exposure to this high-pressure environment makes even the calmest individuals prone to emotional hijacking.

**The Key to Breaking the Cycle**

Ultimately, the difference between leeks and winners boils down to—whether you can fight your emotions.

Truly profitable traders aren’t those with the most accurate market predictions, but those with the strictest discipline. They plan ahead—at what price to buy the dip, at what price to cut losses, and execute without letting emotions interfere.

Think this is easy? Try it. When your holdings drop 30%, can you still add without hesitation? When the same period’s coins have tripled, can you resist FOMO? Most people can’t.

So rather than obsessing over advanced trading techniques, it’s better to first learn to manage your emotions. Set stop-losses, stick to proper position sizing, and stay rational during extreme market conditions—these "silly" methods are often the most effective.

The market is always there, opportunities are always there. The key is whether you can wait for the right moment to act.