Thread by @iconicjosh001

THE FOMO TRAP

I still remember the rush of December 2021. Bitcoin was ripping with $69,000, and the X timeline was a wildfire about “MOON” and “HODL” chants. I was 20, scraping by on a freelance gig, when I first dove into crypto. My portfolio was small just $500 I’d saved up,

but the hype on X made me feel like I was one trade away from millions. That’s when I fell into the FOMO trap.
A hot new altcoin, was trending everywhere. Posts on X screamed, “100x incoming!” and This is the next Doge! I read stories of traders turning $1k into $50k overnight.

My heart raced. I couldn’t miss this. Against my better judgment, I threw my entire $500 into that coin at its peak, convinced I was buying my ticket to the moon. The next morning, I woke up to a bloodbath. It crashed 70% overnight. My $500 was now $150.

I sat there, staring at my phone, feeling like I’d been punched in the gut. The X timeline had shifted now it was full of memes about “rug pulls” and “paper hands.” I felt stupid, but I wasn’t alone.

I saw posts from others who’d lost thousands, some even borrowing money to chase the same high I did. The lesson hit hard: FOMO is a trader’s worst enemy. I learned to tune out the hype and do my own research.

I started small again, diversified my portfolio, and set strict rules no more impulse buys. By 2025, with the market recovering and Bitcoin pushing past $80,000, I’ve rebuilt my portfolio to a modest $10,000. It’s not millions, but it’s mine, earned through patience.

To anyone reading this the crypto market is a rollercoaster. Don’t let FOMO steer the wheel. Research, plan, and only invest what you can afford to lose. The moon can wait.

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