I'm a Financial Strategist: This Is the Investment Trap That Keeps Smart Investors on the Sidelines
Forget FOMO. FOGI — Fear of Getting In — is the feeling you need to learn how to manage so you don't miss out on future investment gains.


Most people know the feeling of FOMO: Fear of Missing Out.
It's the adrenaline rush you get watching others jump on the latest investing trend, rack up gains and post their "look what I bought" screenshots.
When your hairstylist or your imperious uncle gives you a hot stock tip, peak FOMO is not far off.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
But there's another fear. One that's quieter, more insidious and far more dangerous if left unchecked.
FOGI. Fear of Getting In.
The Kiplinger Building Wealth program handpicks financial advisers and business owners from around the world to share retirement, estate planning and tax strategies to preserve and grow your wealth. These experts, who never pay for inclusion on the site, include professional wealth managers, fiduciary financial planners, CPAs and lawyers. Most of them have certifications including CFP®, ChFC®, IAR, AIF®, CDFA® and more, and their stellar records can be checked through the SEC or FINRA.
You might not know the acronym, but you've almost certainly felt it. FOGI is that creeping hesitation that shows up after the market has already moved.
It's what keeps you on the sidelines while others are dancing. It convinces you that by the time you're ready to act, it's already too late.
FOGI sounds cautious and reasonable on the surface. But under the hood, it's often just another emotional reaction disguised as wisdom.
FOMO vs FOGI: The tug-of-war
FOMO shouts, "Get in now or regret it forever!" FOGI whispers, "This is a trap. Don't be the sucker who buys the top."
FOMO is greedy. FOGI is anxious.
When we feel both at the same time, we become paralyzed, watching from the sidelines, trying to predict the exact moment when risk disappears and clarity shows up with a bow on top.
Here's the truth: Clarity often comes only in hindsight.
The real cost of FOGI
FOGI is a master of disguise. It borrows the language of prudence. "I just want to wait for a better entry point," you tell yourself. "I need to do more research. Let's see how this plays out first."
But often, what you're really saying is that you're scared of being wrong. You remember the last time you got in too late. You figure that if you do nothing, at least you won't lose anything.
Unfortunately, doing nothing is still a decision, and it has a cost. Sometimes that cost is a missed upside. Other times, it's the slow erosion of confidence, clarity or progress.
What makes FOGI so dangerous?
Unlike FOMO, which tends to burn fast and loud, FOGI lingers. It's the chronic condition of cautious investors, especially those who've been burned before.
There's good reason for that. Just look at some of the scars.
In the early 2000s, the dot-com crash left a generation of investors shell-shocked around tech. Even when solid, profitable companies emerged, such as Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOGL), Netflix (NFLX), many investors stayed sidelined, too wary to trust again.
Then came 2008. The housing bubble burst, and it wasn't just homeowners who got hit — investors watched portfolios evaporate. The fear that followed didn't just keep people out during the decline, but also during the recovery.
These events left emotional fingerprints, and FOGI feeds on those memories. It convinces you that every rally is suspicious, that optimism is a setup, that if you feel late, you probably are.
In this mindset, every rally feels suspicious. Every pullback feels like confirmation that staying out was the smart move.
What do you do?
Build a system that makes room for fear without letting it drive.
Replace emotion with process. If you have rules or principles guiding your investing, you're not at the mercy of mood swings. Process beats paralysis.
Let go of the perfect-timing fantasy. Trying to get in at the bottom or out at the top is a fool's errand. You don't need precision to succeed. You need consistency.
Zoom out. If your goals are long term, why are you letting short-term events drive your decisions?
Ask better questions. Instead of asking yourself, "Is now the right time to get in?" try asking, "Will this decision still make sense to me one year from now? How about five years from now? Am I investing out of fear or purpose?"
Taking the wheel
I learned this lesson in 2012 with Apple (APPL). The iPhone revolution was well underway, and the company's stock price had already quadrupled from about $5 (split-adjusted) to $22.
FOGI was screaming at me. "You've missed it!" my cautious side would argue. "It's already had its run. Don't be the sucker buying after everyone else got rich."
Looking for expert tips to grow and preserve your wealth? Sign up for Building Wealth, our free, twice-weekly newsletter.
But I had a process. I'd done my research. I believed the smartphone revolution was just getting started, not ending. Instead of waiting for a pullback that might never come, I bought in, despite feeling like I was late to the party.
It felt uncomfortable at the time. It always does when you're fighting FOGI. But looking back, that discomfort was the price of admission to one of the best investment decisions I ever made.
The stock didn't just continue climbing, it split multiple times from there. More important, I learned that sometimes the best opportunities look like trains you've already missed.
If FOMO is the gas pedal, FOGI is the brake. But the goal isn't to slam on one or the other, it's about learning to drive. You must take the wheel.
The road ahead will always be uncertain. There will always be reasons to wait, to hesitate, to demand more clarity before you act. But clarity doesn't come from waiting. It comes from acting with intention, reflecting, adjusting and moving forward — slowly, maybe; imperfectly, definitely — but forward.
Don't let either fear stall your future. The biggest risk isn't getting in at the wrong time: It's never getting in at all.
As always, invest often and wisely. Thank you for reading.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice.
Related Content
- Keep Your Feelings Out of Your Finances: Here's How
- We're Only Human, Which Can Be a Problem for Investors
- In Retirement Planning, Consider the Entire Journey
- Four Signs It's Time to Sell a Stock
- Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement Income
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Cosmo P. DeStefano is a retired CPA and tax partner who spent over three decades with one of the largest professional services firms in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has consulted with clients big and small, public and private, across a wide variety of industries, helping them solve intricately complex business and financial issues. Cosmo is also an award-winning author. His book “Wealth Your Way: A Simple Path To Financial Freedom” has garnered numerous accolades.
-
Kiplinger Special Report: Business Costs for 2026
Economic Forecasts Fresh forecasts for 2026, to help you plan ahead and prepare a budget on a range of business costs, from Kiplinger's Letters team.
-
I’m 57, with $1.8 million saved, and want a low-stress job for the next decade. My wife says keep cranking and retire at 62 instead. Who’s right?
We asked expert wealth planners for advice.
-
To Downsize or Not to Downsize? That is the Retirement Question
Where to Retire For some retirees, a bigger home is better.
-
Don't Regret Buying a Home: An Expert Guide to Navigating Today's Tough Housing Market
Whether you're a first-time buyer, want to upsize/downsize or move closer to work or family, it's critical to stay within your budget and have an emergency fund.
-
1031 Exchanges Aren't Just for Big Real Estate Deals: An Expert's Playbook for Regular Property Owners
One of the biggest mistakes property owners make is not realizing they're eligible for tax deferral through a Section 1031 like-kind exchange.
-
Could This Southeast Asian Country Be the Best Place to Retire?
This country's vibrant cities, serene beaches and rich heritage make it a hot tourist destination. Its low living costs make it a great place to retire.
-
A New Guide to Choosing Where to Retire
Where to Retire A comprehensive guide to deciding where is the best place for you to retire.
-
Timing Your Retirement: A Financial Professional's Guide on When to Say When
First, ask yourself what kind of retirement you want: big and splashy or simple and sweet. Then you can run the numbers to help choose just the right moment.
-
Three Common Social Security Myths in 2025: A Retirement Strategist Explains What You Need to Know
Taxes on benefits haven't been eliminated, and based on current projections, the program isn't going bankrupt. Understanding the truth about Social Security and knowing what you can control can help you better prepare for retirement.
-
Retired and Thinking of Going Back to Work? Avoid These Three Common Pitfalls
Before you decide to 'unretire' and go back to work, be sure you understand the impact it will have on your retirement finances.