After several years of trading contracts, I’ve noticed that those who survive all share one thing in common—it’s not about having incredible skills, but about knowing how to protect themselves.

Today, I want to talk about six words I’ve summed up for myself: light position, loss control, follow the trend, add to winners, exit, and compound. Sounds simple? But behind each word lies a lesson paid for in real money.

**Light Position—Don’t Go All In Right Away**

My iron rule is never to open a position larger than 10% of my total funds at one time. You might think this is too conservative, but the market doesn’t care how heavy your position is. The benefit of keeping positions light isn’t about making less, but about not dying when you’re wrong. As long as your account survives, so do your opportunities—that’s your biggest advantage.

**Loss Control—Set Your Stop Loss in Advance**

Never lose more than 3% on a single trade. If it hits that point, get out—no negotiations. Many people lose because of this: “Let’s just wait a bit, maybe it’ll rebound.” What they get instead is a bigger hole. Taking a stop loss isn’t shameful—it's your insurance premium, letting you stay in the game.

**Follow the Trend—Don’t Go Against the Market**

Moving averages lined up bullish, volume increasing? Go long. Bearish alignment, volume following? Go short decisively. The market is smarter than any of us. When the trend is clear, follow it—your odds are naturally higher. Going against the trend isn’t bravery; it’s asking for trouble.

**Add to Winners—Only Add to Profitable Trades**

A lot of people get this backwards: they keep averaging down on losing trades to lower their cost, but are afraid to add to winners. The right way is to wait until your floating profit reaches 1x your risk/reward (1R), then add half a position. If you’re wrong about direction, just admit defeat—don’t let mistakes snowball.

**Exit—Numbers Only Count When They Become Real Money**

Withdraw 20%-30% of your profits every week, transfer it straight to your bank account. Numbers in your account are just numbers; money in hand is really yours. Don’t get blinded by floating profits—locking them in is always rule number one.

**Compound—Slow and Steady Is Actually Faster**

Take out half your profits, compound the other half. Stick to this rhythm and your account will steadily grow. Don’t always chase overnight riches—that’s a gambler’s mindset. Real long-term gains come from time and compounding.

At the end of the day, the contract market isn’t about who’s more aggressive, but who’s more disciplined and understands risk control. I’ve fallen into all the traps, and now I’m sharing my experience. Whether you follow it or not will determine how far you go.