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What You Need To Know About FOMO

Nick Schmidt
Nick Schmidt

Nick Schmidt is a co-founder of TraderLion and Deepvue with over 10 years of market experience. Adopting a “less is more” philosophy, he focuses on weekly charts with an emphasis on price and volume.

November 1, 2023
4 min read
206 views

Discover effective strategies and psychological insights to conquer the fear of missing out (FOMO) in trading. Learn from real traders’ experiences.

Introduction

Have you ever felt the pain of watching a stock you wanted to buy soar higher and higher without you? This emotional toll is often termed as the Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, and it’s something every trader will experience at some point. This article will guide you through overcoming FOMO in trading.

The Emotional Cost of Trading FOMO

FOMO is not just emotionally taxing but can also lead to poor trading decisions. The cycle of entering a stock at its peak and then getting stopped out can feel never-ending, almost as if the market is out to get you.

These emotional lows can further cloud judgment, making it even more challenging to stick to your trading plan the next time around. It’s a vicious circle that not only erodes your capital but also your confidence and mental well-being, contributing to a sense of ineffectiveness and disillusionment in your trading abilities.

The Psychology Behind FOMO

Common Causes of FOMO

The fear of missing out influences not just our immediate actions but also creates long-term trading habits. The more you find yourself chasing stocks and getting stopped out, the more ingrained this behavior becomes. It’s crucial to break this cycle to become a successful trader.

  • Information Overload: One common scenario that induces FOMO is the sheer amount of information available.
  • Social Media: The fear often amplifies when you see others profiting, thanks to platforms like Twitter and trading forums.

Rules to Counteract FOMO

Reduce FOMO

One practical rule is never to buy a stock more than 2% past its pivot point. Following such simple yet effective guidelines can help you avoid the pitfalls of FOMO.

  • Risk Management: Poor risk management often contributes to FOMO. Being aware of your risk tolerance can prevent rash decisions.
  • Patience and Discipline: Waiting for the right opportunity instead of rushing into trades can save you both money and emotional stress.
  • Tune out distractions: This includes news, social media, and whatever else is clamoring for your attention. You are responsible for your trades, both your losses and your wins. If you take a loss, own that outcome and try to understand why. If you win, own that too — you’re doing something right!
  • Stop interfering mid-trade: There will come a time when your stock goes down while other stocks are going up. But remember, as long as your trade is between your predefined stop loss and your profit target, it is still in play. There is nothing you need to do. All of your work should have been done BEFORE the trade was placed.
  • Accept the loss beforehand: Know exactly what you could lose on the trade ahead of time, and accept this. Really accept it. Understand that you don’t need this specific trade to be successful. Rather, you need a series of trades that have an edge to deliver profitable returns over time.

Making The Effort to Overcome FOMO

As you consciously make an effort not to chase stocks, it becomes easier over time to resist the urge to jump into what might seem like lucrative opportunities. The first step in this journey of self-discipline is acknowledging the emotional triggers that lead to FOMO. Once you recognize these, you can work on strategies to counteract them, turning your trading behavior from reactive to proactive.

The key to maintaining this discipline is to set specific, actionable rules for yourself and adhere to them, no matter the external influences. These could range from technical indicators like stop-loss levels to more psychological metrics like setting a maximum number of trades per day to avoid overtrading. Adhering to these rules creates a mental framework that equips you to handle the emotional highs and lows of trading, thereby minimizing the risk of impulsive decisions driven by FOMO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Trading FOMO is the emotional response when a trader feels they are missing out on potential gains, leading to poor trading decisions.

FOMO not only influences short-term actions but can also lead to the formation of bad long-term trading habits if not controlled.

Yes, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and trading forums often amplify the fear of missing out by showcasing others’ profits.

One effective rule is not to buy a stock more than 2% past its pivot point. This simple guideline can help you avoid the pitfalls of FOMO.

The key is to set specific rules for trading and stick to them. This helps in resisting the urge to make impulsive decisions based on FOMO.

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