When markets reach new highs and more people begin talking about quick profits, a difficult feeling often appears: the impression that everyone else is benefiting while you have been left behind. In the previous article we explored how to invest when markets are at record levels. Periods like these often create the perfect environment for a psychological phenomenon that affects many financial decisions: FOMO, or the “fear of missing out”.

FOMO is not a new concept. People have always feared missing opportunities. The difference today is the speed at which information spreads, and the way social media amplifies every success story. In investing, this effect can become dangerous because it turns rational decisions into emotional reactions.

In simple terms, FOMO appears when someone invests not because they analysed the opportunity, but because they see others making money.

The problem is that these stories usually appear when an asset has already experienced significant growth.

If we examine financial market history, we can observe a recurring pattern. In the first stage, an asset begins to rise due to fundamental factors such as innovation, economic growth or technological adoption. Early investors recognise the potential and enter the market.

As prices continue rising, public attention increases. Articles, online discussions and stories about profits become more frequent. This is usually the moment when FOMO begins to appear.

Investors who missed the early phase feel pressure to enter the market quickly.

Sometimes the decision is not based on analysis but on the emotion of the moment. A feeling emerges that if you do not act immediately, the opportunity will disappear forever.

In reality, financial markets do not operate in this way.

Opportunities appear constantly. Every year there are sectors, companies or technologies that grow faster than the broader economy. There is never just one chance to invest successfully.

One of the most important lessons I have learned over time is that investment success rarely comes from chasing every opportunity. More often, it comes from avoiding impulsive decisions.

FOMO is dangerous because it completely changes how we evaluate risk.

When we see only success stories, our minds begin to ignore the probability of losses. We start believing that the trend will continue indefinitely.

Market history shows that periods of excessive enthusiasm are often followed by corrections.

This does not mean every popular asset is a bad investment. The real issue appears when investors buy without understanding what they are buying.

Very often, FOMO is fuelled by comparison.

Someone sees friends, colleagues or people online achieving fast profits. At that moment a question appears: “Why did I not invest as well?”

This comparison can be toxic because every investor has a different situation. Income, goals, risk tolerance and time horizon are rarely identical.

A well-constructed portfolio should reflect personal circumstances, not other people’s decisions.

From my experience, the best way to avoid FOMO is to have a clear investment plan.

When you already know what percentage of income you save, where you invest and what your time horizon is, it becomes much easier to ignore market noise.

A well-designed plan acts as a filter. Not every apparent opportunity deserves attention.

Another useful tool is simple fundamental analysis.

Before investing in a popular asset, it helps to ask a few straightforward questions:

What actually creates value in this project or company?
How does it generate profit?
What are the real risks?

If you cannot answer these questions, the decision is probably driven more by emotion than by logic.

Another important factor is information management.

Today we are constantly exposed to investment opinions. Podcasts, forums, online communities and financial influencers provide new ideas almost every day.

This constant flow of information can create the impression that we must always act.

In reality, some of the best investment results come from patience.

Sometimes the best decision is to do nothing.

Personally, one of the most useful rules I adopted was introducing a pause before any impulsive investment. If I feel attracted to an opportunity simply because everyone is discussing it, I prefer to wait a few days or even weeks.

Often the initial excitement fades and the analysis becomes clearer.

Another effective way to reduce FOMO is diversification.

When a portfolio is properly structured, investors no longer feel the constant need to search for the “next big opportunity”. Exposure to different parts of the market already exists.

Over time this reduces emotional pressure.

Successful investing is rarely spectacular in the short term. More often it is the result of disciplined decisions repeated for many years.

This may seem less exciting compared with promises of rapid profits, yet this simplicity often creates stability.

Looking back, many of my mistakes as an investor came from the rush to avoid missing an opportunity.

With time I realised that markets are full of opportunities. What truly matters is selecting only those that fit your strategy.

That is why perhaps the most useful question you can ask when FOMO appears is this:

Is this investment part of my plan, or am I simply reacting to the excitement of the moment?

And here is the challenge for you: the next time you see an opportunity that “everyone is talking about”, will you have the patience to analyse it calmly, or will you act out of fear of being left behind?