Let's put it this way: by 2026, Ethereum could hit $10,000, and that possibility definitely exists. But I dare say, if you haven't understood these principles below, even if you catch this wave of growth, you'll probably end up losing money in the end.

In my five years in the crypto world, from an initial loss of 500,000 to now steady profits, the deepest realization I have is this—making money and knowing how to make money are two different things. Many people only see the number "10,000" and don't realize the pitfalls behind it. Today, I want to share my personal roadmap for avoiding traps. If you follow it closely, your chances will be much better than 90% of retail investors.

**Why can ETH rise to $10,000, but you still lose money? Simply put, it's six words: wrong rhythm, broken mentality.**

Think about how institutions play it. They start accumulating at $3,000, sell some at $6,000 to lock in profits, buy the dip when it drops back to $3,500, and finally fully exit at $10,000. The whole process is well-organized, and they profit from this big trend.

Now look at retail investors. They tend to chase high at $6,000, then panic and sell at $3,500, only to regret it when it hits $10,000 and rush in for the last push. Such operations make profits seem like a miracle. So, step one, you need to break out of the retail mindset.

**The first trick: build positions in batches, never go all-in.**

The two most common extremes among retail investors are: either greedily trying to buy at the lowest point with a full position at once; or being too timid, holding no position and waiting for the bottom. The result? Either getting stuck in a loss or missing the rally. My approach is different—in the $3,000 to $4,000 range, I build my position in 4 to 5 increments, only using about 20% of my total funds each time.

For example, buy a batch at $3,800, another at $3,500, and continue accumulating at $3,200... What's the benefit of doing this? First, it lowers the average cost; second, it stabilizes your mindset. Even if the price keeps falling, you can still buy the dip because you have cash on hand; even if it rebounds, your existing position allows you to profit from the rally. This way, you're not bound by a single decision—this is what it feels like to control your destiny.