The thing about contracts is that the most heartbreaking part isn't losing money by misreading the direction, but rather - when you read the direction correctly, and the price moves in the direction you anticipated, yet your account balance still shrinks. You might think you are just unlucky? In fact, the game rules have long been set up to trap you.

I once had a rough time on ETH myself. Back then, I judged that a bull market was coming, so I went long directly. The price really skyrocketed as expected, with unrealized gains soaring from 1500 USD to 5000. You know that feeling, palms sweating, my mind only thinking "this will at least double". And then? A sharp drop hit, and my stop loss was directly breached, my position evaporating in an instant. By the time I regained my composure, the market had already rebounded, and all I had left were a bunch of liquidation records.

Later I realized: contracts are not a "guess the rise and fall to win" game at all. What it really tests is your understanding of the rules, your ability to grasp the rhythm, and whether your mindset can remain stable. You think you are betting on the direction? In reality, you are sparring with invisible knives like the liquidation line, funding rates, and slippage. The market doesn't care if you make money, but it will deal with you using the tactics of "wanting to run with small profits and getting liquidated with small losses."

Those who can truly eat meat steadily have long seen through the underlying logic: do not guess the ups and downs, only calculate the probabilities; do not chase hot trends blindly, just manage the positions well. Before opening a position, ask yourself "What is the maximum I can lose on this trade," instead of focusing on "how much I can earn."

After losing eighty thousand in capital, I finally understood that old saying: contracts are never about feelings, but rather about rationality and respect for the rules. Now, every time I place an order, I first calculate the risks clearly, no longer dreaming of doubling down, just hoping to survive. Because after all, as long as you are alive, there is still a possibility of continuing to be profitable.