“If You’re Not Trading, You’re Falling Behind”

You ever notice how every time you check Twitter or Reddit (yes, I said Twitter, not X, because that’s still weird), it seems like everyone is making money trading? Some stranger is always bragging about flipping a few stocks or crypto coins and doubling their cash. Scroll a little further and it feels like the whole world is buying and selling, twenty-four hours a day.

It’s easy to start thinking you’re missing out. Honestly, it’s everywhere, someone posts a big win, and that voice in your head wonders, “Shouldn’t I be doing this too?” Social media only makes it louder. People post their screenshots when things go well. You never see the losses, so everything looks like a highlight reel.

Hollywood and TV add to the pressure. All those movies with stressy traders glued to screens. They make nonstop trading look exciting and heroic, but life just isn’t like that.

FOMO is real. You see the market climbing or getting hyped in a group chat, and you get nervous sitting on the sidelines. Maybe you even jump in without a plan, just to keep up. But most of those big stories you see online leave out the tough parts. You read about fast gains, but almost never about someone losing money or burning out.

On top of that, many traders are incentivized by their “mentors” to actually trade more often so they can earn more through commissions (Yes, this happens, and I will be talking about this more in a future post).

Allow me to be brutally honest, trading all the time usually means paying more in fees, getting worn out, and making mistakes. The traders who brag about their wins often skip the part where they lost, again and again.

Actually, some of the most successful investors barely trade at all. They spend most of their time thinking, not acting. Even traders who do this for a living only move when the right setup appears.

So no, you’re not falling behind if you’re not always trading. Most people do better by waiting, tuning out the noise, and picking their moments. Next time someone online makes it look easy, remember: real success is quiet and patient, not flashy and frantic. Relax, take your time, and focus on what’s right for you, your bank account will thank you.