Hi,
The typical reaction to gold or silver making a big move is always the same: headlines everywhere, prices being shared on social media, and behind closed doors, investors are all silently saying the same thing to themselves: “I wish I had bought more.” This is a silent regret that is never spoken about, yet it is evident with every single breakout cycle.
FOMO Doesn’t Start at the Top – It Starts on the Way Up
The typical assumption is that fear of missing out occurs at or near the top, but in reality, it starts much earlier than that. It starts when prices are making their way up just enough to prove to themselves what they had already suspected: something big is about to happen.
It is then that investors who have been hesitant begin to question their own previous decisions: “I have been watching gold at this price for a long time now.” “I almost bought silver last year.” “If only I purchased more”. This is not about missing the absolute bottom; it is about passing up on their own intuition when prices are boring and nothing is happening. It is then that FOMO starts to creep in.
Why Investors Hesitate When Prices Are Quiet
When metals are flat or making their way up slowly, there is no sense of urgency, no headlines, no pressure on anyone to buy or do anything. They wait for a better price, more clarity, or a clearer indication to buy, but markets don’t always allow for this. It is then, after gold or silver makes their big move, that everything is clear, and it is expensive to get in. This is a silent regret because it is not an overt one; it is knowing that you had access to clear information, had access to clear prices, and still chose to wait.
Breakouts Change Psychology Fast
The moment the prices move decisively higher, the psychology shifts quickly. Investors stop wondering whether metals are a good idea and start wondering how much more to own. The problem is, most investors don’t want to buy during the quiet times. They want to buy during the times when the prices move up, when the breakout happens. The trouble is, the very same asset now becomes more attractive, not because the fundamentals have changed, but because the price has changed. And that is when most investors realize that they were actually right all along… just too early, and too tentative.
The Cost of Waiting to Buy After the Breakout
Buying during the breakout means higher prices, higher premiums, and less product availability. The more one waits, the more the availability of the products decreases, the more the premiums increase, and the more the prices increase. And that is why most investors wish they had actually bought more during the quiet times, to avoid the stress of trying to buy during the breakout times.
The problem is, most investors don’t buy until the breakout happens. And the reason for that is, most investors wish they had actually bought more during the quiet times, to avoid the stress of trying to buy during the breakout times.
The Experience: Regret Turns into Strategy
The more seasoned investors learn from the experience and realize that the best way to avoid the stress is to buy more during the quiet times, to avoid the stress of trying to buy during the breakout times.
Why It is Better to Act Early Than to React Late
Every breakout in the metals market has two types of investors: the calm ones and the ones who scramble to buy. The difference between the two is that the calm ones actually act, while the ones who scramble to buy actually react.
If one is already invested in gold or silver, he doesn’t panic when prices rise. He feels validated. And nearly everyone has the same thought: “I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer.”
