Stop Chasing Green Candles: Is FOMO Burning Your Portfolio?

Lets be honest with each other. We have all been there.

Youre sitting at work or stuck in traffic, and you open your trading app. You see Gold or Bitcoin shooting up like a rocket. A vertical green line. Your Telegram groups are going crazy. Everyone is posting screenshots of profits. You feel that tightness in your chest—the fear that everyone in Lagos, Nairobi, or Jo'burg is getting rich while you get left behind.

You panic. You press “Buy” without thinking.

And what happens next? The market reverses instantly. That huge green candle turns into a wicked red one. You didn't buy the breakout; you bought the top. That is FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), and it is the single biggest reason why retail traders blow their accounts.

The Psychology of the Trap

The market is designed to manipulate your emotions. Big institutional players know exactly how retail traders think. They wait for that emotional spike. When you are frantically buying because “it's going to the moon,” the big banks are the ones selling to you. They are taking their profits while you are providing the liquidity holding the bag.

Trading isn't about excitement. It's about patience. If seeing a chart move fast makes your heart rate go up, you aren't trading—you're gambling.

There is a saying on the street: “If you have to chase it, youve already lost it.”

Is Your “Gut Feeling” Actually Just FOMO?

Many new traders mistake FOMO for intuition. They think, “My gut tells me this is going up.” But usually, that's not your gut/instinct; it's your greed reacting to price movement.

Here is how you tell the difference:

• A Planned Trade: You waited for price to hit a specific support level you analyzed yesterday. You have a stop loss in place. You are calm.
• A FOMO Trade: You jumped in because the price was moving fast. You calculated how much money you could make in your head. You have no plan for if it goes wrong. You are anxious.

If you don't know where your Stop Loss goes before you enter, get out.

The Scammers Love Your Greed

This emotional state is dangerous for another reason. When you are desperate to catch a winning trade, your defenses go down. You start listening to “gurus” promising guaranteed 100% returns or “insider signals.”

This is where you get eaten alive. Scammers thrive on FOMO. They hype up fake opportunities to get you to deposit money into unregulated platforms.

Before you deposit a single KES or NGN into a broker you found on social media, check their regulatory status on WikiFX. It takes thirty seconds to search the broker's name on the app. If they have a low score or a warning label, it doesn't matter how good the “opportunity” looks. Run. Don't let your desire for fast cash lead you straight into a trap.

How to Kill FOMO Before It Kills Your Account

You cant turn off your emotions, but you can control your actions. Here is the playbook:

1. Joy of Missing Out (JOMO)

Learn to love missing trades. Seriously. If the market pumps and you aren't in it, say “Good for them.” There will be another setup tomorrow, and the day after. The market isn't going anywhere. Preserving your capital is more important than catching every move.

2. Step Away from the Screen

If you catch yourself staring at the 1-minute chart and sweating, put the phone down. Go outside. Touch grass. Decisions made while staring at ticking prices are usually wrong.

3. Use Limit Orders

Stop using “Market Execution.” Set a Limit Order at the price you want. If the market comes to you, great. If it runs away without you, let it go. Never chase a bus that has already left the station; youll just get tired and look foolish.

The Bottom Line

Professional traders are boring. They sit on their hands 90% of the time and only strike when the setup is perfect. Novice traders are hyperactive, chasing every green and red candle until their equity hits zero.

Next time you feel that urge to jump in because “it's moving,” sit on your hands. Your future self will thank you.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Trading involves significant risk, and you can lose your invested capital. Always do your own research.