FOMO — fear of missing out — is the pull to buy something purely because it's already moving, and everyone seems to be talking about it. It's one of the most common ways trading decisions go wrong.
Why chasing rarely works out
By the time a move is obvious enough to trigger FOMO, a large part of it has usually already happened. Signals and news both lag reality slightly — chasing means buying into strength that may already be fading, often at the worst average price of the whole move.
It's a habit, not just a one-time mistake
The uncomfortable part: even in a paper account, giving in to FOMO trains the same instinct that causes real damage later. Practicing patience here is practicing it for when it actually costs something.
A concrete counter-habit
Add friction between the urge and the action. Write down why before you trade, not after — if the honest reason is "it's moving and I don't want to miss it," that's worth noticing before you click buy, not after.