FOMO Fireworks

Read Time / 2 Minutes

Theme / Wise Investing

My kids were disappointed that they wouldn’t see fireworks!   And, as parents, we were just as disappointed.  We were experiencing the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).  We were in southern Utah visiting my aunt and uncle on the 4th of July.  They treated our family to a musical held in an outdoor amphitheater near St. George.  The setting was spectacular: a thirty-foot wall of natural red rock was the stage backdrop, and a clear starlit night filled the horizon.  The musical, “South Pacific,” was a patriotic nod to our great nation and we got caught up in the songs of romance during World War II. 

As the musical finished, we were ready to stand and exit our row when the announcer asked everyone to remain seated and look heavenward.   Soon the sky was filled with an array of red, white, and blue fireworks, so close that it felt like we could reach out and touch them.  Patriotic music played over the sound system as we celebrated the 4th of July in the most intimate fashion.  We had not missed out! 

I remember that my aunt and uncle weren’t nearly as concerned as we were about missing out on fireworks.  They simply encouraged us to enjoy the show!  In hindsight, they knew something that we didn’t.  They had a plan and we just needed to be patient.

If we aren’t careful, FOMO can also drive our approach to investments.  We may jump from one hot investment tip to another, showing little patience, and little regard for a long-term systematic approach to investing.   Scripture tells us that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).  In our investments, we should be patient and exhibit self-control instead of giving into FOMO.  The fireworks are coming!

Doug Hanson, MBA

Wealth Advisor

208.697.3699

doug@christianwm.com