The most basic principles are often the easiest to overlook. Be calm when buying, be decisive when selling — the logic couldn't be simpler. But in reality, most traders fall into an entirely opposite pattern: FOMO buying when prices rise, and holding on stubbornly when prices fall, unwilling to cut losses.
Why? Because greed and fear hijack rationality. When the market is hot, the anxiety of missing out on profits outweighs risk awareness; when losses occur, the hope for a turnaround overrides the discipline of stop-loss. The result is a short profit period and a long loss period.
Many people know this truth, but few truly practice it. Perhaps this is why so many end up with small gains and large losses.
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MelonField
· 5h ago
There's nothing wrong with what you said, but the hardest part is always execution.
Knowing is one thing, but when it comes to critical moments, emotions still take over.
I'm the kind of fool who gets overly excited when bullish... I've paid tuition multiple times.
Cutting losses is really a hundred times harder than adding to a position; my mindset has collapsed.
Anyone can talk about plans on paper, but it all depends on whether you can withstand the inner demons.
I've heard this theory countless times, but I still can't break my bad habits.
Discipline, to put it simply, is lessons learned the hard way with real money.
FOMO and overconfidence are the killers in trading, bar none.
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ParanoiaKing
· 15h ago
That's right, knowing and doing are just a mental barrier apart.
Actually, it's just two words: greed.
Every day shouting to be rational, but as soon as the coin rises, I feel uncomfortable all over.
This is probably the hardest part of trading, not the technology.
Knowing is easy, doing is hard, brother.
FOMO really kills, that's how I lost money.
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SignatureVerifier
· 01-05 21:46
yeah, technically speaking the gap between *knowing* and *actually executing* is where most traders get liquidated... insufficient discipline validation on their own emotional responses, really. that's the critical vulnerability threshold nobody wants to audit in themselves.
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TokenToaster
· 01-05 00:17
Knowing and doing are worlds apart; I am the kind of person who understands many principles but fails in execution.
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FOMO is truly the biggest killer in trading, getting caught again and again.
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So true, I always tell myself to stay calm, but emotions still take the lead.
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Greed and fear, I hold both completely haha.
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The problem isn't that I don't know, but that even after knowing, I can't change human weaknesses.
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I've heard this theory a hundred times, but in practice, there are always various mistakes.
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Profits are short-lived, losses are long-lasting—this really hits home.
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Every time I lose money, I think about making it back, but the more I try, the more I lose—endless cycle.
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TestnetScholar
· 01-04 20:51
It's so heartbreaking to say, knowing and doing are really two different things.
I'm the kind of fool who jumps in when I think it's going up, and I always regret it.
Easy to understand but hard to implement, which is why most people lose money.
FOMO really kills, causing repeated falls into the trap.
Calm? Dream on, when the market moves, your mind goes blank.
It's basically greed at work; I know I should cut losses but just can't do it.
Feels like it's me, making the same mistakes every time.
Everyone understands simple principles, but the difficulty lies in execution.
When caught in a position, I think about a rebound, but the more I hold, the deeper I get.
I couldn't resist this wave of the market again, and I got harvested once more.
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WhaleWatcher
· 01-04 20:48
It's so true, the four words "easy to understand, hard to implement" perfectly describe us.
FOMO is really a devil; once you're caught up, you forget everything.
Cutting losses is the hardest; once your mindset collapses, it's all over.
That's why I now rely on disciplined trading, and I don't feel greed.
Knowing is one thing, but only a few can actually do it.
I'm the kind of fool who wants to go all-in when I see a bullish trend. How much tuition have I paid?
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TokenStorm
· 01-04 20:39
Hmm... That's right, but I still experience FOMO because the technical indicators show a 73.6% probability of a breakout, which is within the acceptable risk level.
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SchroedingerGas
· 01-04 20:35
That's too extreme; I just can't do it.
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ImpermanentPhilosopher
· 01-04 20:29
Knowing is one thing, but when it comes to actual execution, everything collapses—that's human nature, right?
FOMO is truly the biggest killer in trading.
That's right, but I still keep FOMOing. Who's making me greedy?
The theory is perfect, but real trading crashes. I am the living counterexample.
Listening to stop-loss advice is useful, but when you really lose money, you’re reluctant to give up. I understand this feeling too well.
It's really just about wanting to win and fearing to lose. Simply put, it's a trash mentality issue.
The hardest part of trading isn't the technique; it's controlling that impulsive, restless heart.
We understand the principles, but execution is the line between life and death.
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WealthCoffee
· 01-04 20:25
That hits too close to home, there's a hundred million gap between knowing and doing.
FOMO is really a trader’s killer; every time I think I can control it this time... but I still get trapped.
Actually, it’s just two words: discipline, but those two words are the hardest.
That feeling of luck when your account is losing money really can lead people to make the stupidest decisions.
Knowing is easy, doing is hard. Most people die because of their greed.
Honestly, those who set stop-losses have long achieved financial freedom; the rest of us are still repeatedly paying tuition.
The most basic principles are often the easiest to overlook. Be calm when buying, be decisive when selling — the logic couldn't be simpler. But in reality, most traders fall into an entirely opposite pattern: FOMO buying when prices rise, and holding on stubbornly when prices fall, unwilling to cut losses.
Why? Because greed and fear hijack rationality. When the market is hot, the anxiety of missing out on profits outweighs risk awareness; when losses occur, the hope for a turnaround overrides the discipline of stop-loss. The result is a short profit period and a long loss period.
Many people know this truth, but few truly practice it. Perhaps this is why so many end up with small gains and large losses.