When you look back at the greatest trading opportunities in history, they all seem to share a common element: fear. Yet, when you're in the moment, it feels almost impossible to pull the trigger. Why? Because fear paralyzes, while euphoria seduces. If you want to truly evolve as a trader, you need to master this fundamental shift: buy fear, not euphoria.
Let's break it down together.
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What Fear and Euphoria Really Mean in Markets
In simple terms, fear shows up when prices are falling sharply, when bad news dominates the headlines, and when people around you are saying "it's all over."
Euphoria, on the other hand, is everywhere when prices are skyrocketing, when everyone on social media is celebrating, and when it feels like "this can only go higher."
In those moments:
• Fear tells you to run away.
• Euphoria tells you to throw caution to the wind.
Both emotions are signals. But they are inverted signals. When fear is extreme, value appears. When euphoria is extreme, danger hides.
________________________________________
Why Buying Fear Works
Markets are pricing machines. They constantly adjust prices based on emotions, news, and expectations. When fear hits, selling pressure often goes beyond what is rational. People dump assets for emotional reasons, not fundamental ones.
Here’s why buying fear works:
• Overreaction: Bad news usually causes exaggerated moves.
• Liquidity Vacuums: Everyone sells, no one buys, creating sharp discounts.
• Reversion to Mean: Extreme moves tend to revert once emotions stabilize.
Buying into fear is not about being reckless. It’s about recognizing that the best deals are available when others are too scared to see them.
________________________________________
Why Chasing Euphoria Fails
At the peak of euphoria, risks are often invisible to the crowd. Valuations are stretched. Expectations are unrealistic. Everyone "knows" it's going higher — which ironically means there's no one left to buy.
Chasing euphoria often leads to:
• Buying high, selling low.
• Getting trapped at tops.
• Emotional regret and revenge trading.
You’re not just buying an asset — you're buying into a mass illusion.
________________________________________
How to Train Yourself to Buy Fear
It's not enough to "know" this. In the heat of the moment, you will still feel the fear. Here's how you build the right habit:
1. Pre-plan your entries: Before panic strikes, have a plan. Know where you want to buy.
2. Focus on strong assets: Not everything that falls is worth buying. Choose assets with strong fundamentals or clear technical setups.
3. Scale in: Don’t try to catch the bottom perfectly. Build positions gradually as fear peaks.
4. Use alerts, not emotions: Set price alerts. When they trigger, act mechanically.
5. Remember past patterns: Study previous fear-driven crashes. See how they recovered over time.
Trading is a game of memory. The more you internalize past patterns, the easier it is to act when everyone else panics.
________________________________________
A Recent Example: April 2025 Tariff Panic
Very recently, at the start of April, Trump’s new tariff announcements sent shockwaves through the market. Panic took over. Headlines screamed. Social media was flooded with fear.
But if you looked beyond the noise, charts like SP500 and US30 told a different story: the drops took price right into strong support zones.
At the time, I even posted this : support zones were being tested under emotional pressure.
If you had price alerts set and reacted mechanically, not emotionally, you could have bought into that fear — and potentially benefited from the rebound that followed just days later.
This is the essence of buying fear.
________________________________________
Final Thoughts
In trading, you are paid for doing the hard things. Buying when it feels terrible. Selling when it feels amazing.
Remember:
Fear offers you discounts. Euphoria offers you traps.
The next time the market feels like it's crashing, ask yourself:
• Is this fear real, or exaggerated?
• Is this an opportunity hiding under an emotional fog?
If you can answer that with clarity, you're already ahead of 90% of traders.
Stay rational. Stay prepared. And above all: buy fear, not euphoria.
Disclosure: I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
Let's break it down together.
________________________________________
What Fear and Euphoria Really Mean in Markets
In simple terms, fear shows up when prices are falling sharply, when bad news dominates the headlines, and when people around you are saying "it's all over."
Euphoria, on the other hand, is everywhere when prices are skyrocketing, when everyone on social media is celebrating, and when it feels like "this can only go higher."
In those moments:
• Fear tells you to run away.
• Euphoria tells you to throw caution to the wind.
Both emotions are signals. But they are inverted signals. When fear is extreme, value appears. When euphoria is extreme, danger hides.
________________________________________
Why Buying Fear Works
Markets are pricing machines. They constantly adjust prices based on emotions, news, and expectations. When fear hits, selling pressure often goes beyond what is rational. People dump assets for emotional reasons, not fundamental ones.
Here’s why buying fear works:
• Overreaction: Bad news usually causes exaggerated moves.
• Liquidity Vacuums: Everyone sells, no one buys, creating sharp discounts.
• Reversion to Mean: Extreme moves tend to revert once emotions stabilize.
Buying into fear is not about being reckless. It’s about recognizing that the best deals are available when others are too scared to see them.
________________________________________
Why Chasing Euphoria Fails
At the peak of euphoria, risks are often invisible to the crowd. Valuations are stretched. Expectations are unrealistic. Everyone "knows" it's going higher — which ironically means there's no one left to buy.
Chasing euphoria often leads to:
• Buying high, selling low.
• Getting trapped at tops.
• Emotional regret and revenge trading.
You’re not just buying an asset — you're buying into a mass illusion.
________________________________________
How to Train Yourself to Buy Fear
It's not enough to "know" this. In the heat of the moment, you will still feel the fear. Here's how you build the right habit:
1. Pre-plan your entries: Before panic strikes, have a plan. Know where you want to buy.
2. Focus on strong assets: Not everything that falls is worth buying. Choose assets with strong fundamentals or clear technical setups.
3. Scale in: Don’t try to catch the bottom perfectly. Build positions gradually as fear peaks.
4. Use alerts, not emotions: Set price alerts. When they trigger, act mechanically.
5. Remember past patterns: Study previous fear-driven crashes. See how they recovered over time.
Trading is a game of memory. The more you internalize past patterns, the easier it is to act when everyone else panics.
________________________________________
A Recent Example: April 2025 Tariff Panic
Very recently, at the start of April, Trump’s new tariff announcements sent shockwaves through the market. Panic took over. Headlines screamed. Social media was flooded with fear.
But if you looked beyond the noise, charts like SP500 and US30 told a different story: the drops took price right into strong support zones.
At the time, I even posted this : support zones were being tested under emotional pressure.
If you had price alerts set and reacted mechanically, not emotionally, you could have bought into that fear — and potentially benefited from the rebound that followed just days later.
This is the essence of buying fear.
________________________________________
Final Thoughts
In trading, you are paid for doing the hard things. Buying when it feels terrible. Selling when it feels amazing.
Remember:
Fear offers you discounts. Euphoria offers you traps.
The next time the market feels like it's crashing, ask yourself:
• Is this fear real, or exaggerated?
• Is this an opportunity hiding under an emotional fog?
If you can answer that with clarity, you're already ahead of 90% of traders.
Stay rational. Stay prepared. And above all: buy fear, not euphoria.
Disclosure: I am part of Trade Nation's Influencer program and receive a monthly fee for using their TradingView charts in my analyses and educational articles.
📈 Forex & XAU/USD Channel:
t.me/intradaytradingsignals
💎 Crypto Channel:
t.me/FanCryptocurrency
Related publications
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.
📈 Forex & XAU/USD Channel:
t.me/intradaytradingsignals
💎 Crypto Channel:
t.me/FanCryptocurrency
Related publications
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.