Opening the trading app, my hand starts to act on its own again. It's not that I truly can't control it, but that the $200 in my wallet feels like an invisible whip, constantly reminding me every minute: this little principal can't be wasted.

The concept of time in the crypto world is completely different from traditional markets. Blocks are mined every 12 seconds, 15 candlesticks appear every minute, and time is compressed to the extreme—fleeting and ephemeral. Outsiders say "slowly get rich," but retail investors can only smile bitterly—saving 10 million by age 30 and saving 10 million by age 60 are two different lives. The former can change their destiny, while the latter might not even keep up with inflation, having to go through several liquidation events in between.

The reasons for entering the crypto space are pretty much the same: to turn things around. In the group, someone says, "20x tonight, rely on the seaside villa waiting for you," and the power of this sentence far surpasses Buffett's value investing theory. With a principal of 800U, even earning 15% annualized return for a year only makes 120, which can't even buy a new phone. But with 50x leverage, catching a 10% rebound can instantly multiply the account by 5—covering next month’s rent. This is reality: slow = waiting to die, fast = a way to survive.

That's why 24-hour monitoring has become standard. If there's a slight movement on trending searches, people fear missing out; Musk changing his avatar even dares to use 100x leverage. When liquidation happens, they still refuse to give up, turning around to continue trading perpetual contracts for another shot. It’s not about loving gambling; it’s that the chips are too few, and waiting for that "four-year cycle" of long market trends is impossible. Like in Texas Hold'em, a player with 10 big blinds can't really strategize—only go all-in—win and double up, or slam the table in frustration.

Gas fees on the chain, funding rates, slippage, and price spikes—these are all casino rules, gradually eating into your profits. Experts can hedge with technical analysis, but retail traders can only rely on luck to hold on. Honestly, frequent trading isn’t shameful, and liquidation isn’t shameful either. The most regrettable are those who shout all day "Bitcoin will go to zero," yet their wallets don’t even hold a single BTC that might go to zero.

Next time you’re about to click the open position button, ask yourself one question: can you still afford instant noodles after liquidation? If yes, then go ahead and gamble with confidence; if not, then decisively reduce your position.