2026-01-02 12:22:35

At 2 a.m., I received a message. A friend who has only been in the market for three months is asking for help: "Is there still a chance to turn around the small amount of principal I have? I feel like I can't hold on much longer." I didn't give any advice, just a simple sentence: "First, survive; second, make money."

It's interesting—last fall, a reader who has been analyzing with me suddenly came to share good news—his principal of $3,800 had grown to $50,000, and he had never been liquidated once from start to finish. I was curious how he did it, and he simply replied four words: "Follow the trades."

These two incidents remind me that rather than talking about lofty myths of making money, it's better to clarify the ways to survive. For newcomers or those caught in a position, being able to stay alive is the real skill.

**First Trick: Divide your money into three parts, each with its own role**

Many people fall into a trap right at the first step into the market—treating all their principal as one. It's like betting all your assets on a single hand; winning is joy, losing means immediate exit. My approach is different.

Split into three parts, each doing a different job.

The first part acts as the "Vanguard," purely for intraday short-term trades. I set a strict rule for myself: at most two trades per day, and as soon as I make a 3% profit, I close the position immediately. Honestly, many times I make a profit in the morning and give it back by the afternoon. So now, I prefer to lock in gains and then close my trading app, so I don't see the market and stay out of trouble.

The second part is for "long-term watching," specifically waiting for clear weekly bullish opportunities. When the market is sluggish and oscillating, I simply stay out of the market, avoiding ambiguous situations. If I get the urge to trade out of boredom, I find other things to do—go to the gym, read, hang out with friends—basically, I avoid staring at the charts.

The third part is kept as "reserve funds," to guard against black swan events.

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StopLossMaster

· 5h ago

Really, just staying alive is winning. I've seen too many people go all-in and disappear instantly, while those who are conservative and split their positions live the most comfortably.

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consensus_whisperer

· 5h ago

Living is winning. This phrase is more valuable than any technical analysis. --- From 3800U to 50,000, the key is really just surviving long enough. Don't die for nothing. --- Looking at this three-part method, it feels like teaching people how to live more stably... but the problem is most people simply can't wait. --- Someone who replies with this sentence at 2 a.m. is much more reliable than those sweet-talking analysts. --- Basically, it's about controlling risk. But then again, who can really do it? --- Taking a 3% profit on short-term trades and then stopping? You have to be really ruthless to do that. If it were me, I’d have been greedy long ago. --- The setting of the black swan emergency fund is well done. Many people went straight to zero because they lacked this safety net.

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MrDecoder

· 5h ago

Survival is the key, and this is really not just motivational talk. After seeing too many rescue messages at 2 a.m., honestly, people have mixed up survival and getting rich.

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StakeOrRegret

· 5h ago

The three-fund allocation strategy is indeed reliable, but as the saying goes—no matter how good the method is, it can't withstand a shattered mindset.

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CommunityLurker

· 5h ago

Surviving is really harder than making money, especially during the first three months of entry when the mindset is most likely to collapse. --- Growing from 3800U to 50,000U is just ridiculous haha, why don’t I have this luck? --- I agree with the idea of dividing into three parts, but very few people can actually execute it, most still go all in and gamble everything. --- Staying up until 2 a.m. giving advice to others is truly a dedicated persona. --- The key is to endure; those who can't endure, no matter how good the methods are, are doomed to fail. --- I totally agree with the saying "out of sight, out of mind." Not watching the market can indeed help avoid many wrong decisions. --- Good job on the emergency fund; many people have been wiped out because they didn't leave a bottom line. --- The phrase "follow along" sounds simple but is really the most difficult lesson.

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