Introduction

In the last few lessons, you’ve looked at risk, position sizing and emotions. Now you’ll turn that understanding into a simple, practical tool: a personal safety checklist.

This checklist is there to protect you on days when you feel rushed, emotional or tired — the days when mistakes are most likely.

What you’ll learn

• Why a written safety checklist is so powerful.
• The key questions to include before you buy, sell or move money.
• How to include emotional checks, not just numbers.
• How to store and use your checklist in real life.
• How to update it calmly over time.

1. Why write things down?

When prices move quickly, your brain speeds up, and it’s easy to forget what you decided when you were calm.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is fewer rushed, regretted decisions.

2. Core questions before you buy

Your checklist might include questions like:

• Am I using money I can afford to lose?
• Does this fit within my monthly and total limits?
• Do I understand, in simple terms, what I’m buying and why?
• Am I okay if this goes down in value for a while?

If you can’t comfortably answer “yes” to these, the safest move is to pause.

3. Checklist for sending and receiving

Before you send any digital currency or stablecoins, include steps like:

• Have I double-checked the address (and done a small test where possible)?
• Am I using the correct network and token?
• Do I understand any fees, and am I comfortable with them?
• Do I know who is on the other side of this transaction?

These small checks can prevent permanent, irreversible mistakes.

4. Emotional checks (based on Lesson 15)

Add one short emotional section to your checklist, for example:

• Am I feeling calm — or am I in FOMO, panic or greed?
• Have I eaten, slept and taken at least a short break?
• Would I be comfortable explaining this decision to a trusted friend?

If the honest answer is “no, I don’t feel calm”, your checklist should tell you to wait.

5. How to store and use your checklist

You can keep your checklist:

• Printed on paper near your computer or notebook.
• As a note on your phone.
• As a document saved in a folder called “Safety”.

The important part is: look at it before making decisions, not afterwards.

6. Keeping it short and realistic

If the checklist is too long, you won’t use it. Aim for:

• 5–10 questions total.
• Clear, simple language.
• Items that truly matter for your safety and peace of mind.

You can always refine it later, but it’s better to start with a short list you’ll actually use.

7. Your next steps

By the end of this lesson, you should have a first draft of your personal safety checklist — even if it’s just a few bullet points.

In the next lesson, you’ll shift from safety to organisation, and look at simple ways to track your portfolio without getting lost in charts or complicated tools.

• Lesson 17 – Tracking Your Portfolio Simply