The Trade That Got Away
There’s a certain silence that only traders know-the hush that falls after a chart moves without you.
It was a rainy Thursday morning. I sat at my desk, eyes glued to the screen, watching the price of SolaraTech, a stock I’d been tracking for weeks. Every indicator, every gut feeling, had whispered the same thing: This one is about to run. But fear is a powerful force. Memories of past losses, the sting of red numbers, held me back.
I watched the price hover, hesitate, and then-like a bird startled into flight-it soared. In minutes, it broke resistance, the volume spiked, and the ticker turned green, then greener. My heart raced, fingers hovering over the “Buy” button, but I hesitated. Maybe it’s too late. Maybe it’ll pull back.
But it didn’t. By lunchtime, SolaraTech had doubled. News broke, social feeds exploded, and my trading group was alive with celebration. I stared at my empty position, feeling the weight of what could have been.
It wasn’t about the money, not really. It was the story I’d tell myself: You saw it coming. You did the research. But you let fear win. That night, I sat on my balcony, the city lights twinkling like distant candles. I thought about all the chances we let slip by-not just in trading, but in life-because we’re afraid to leap.
But the market, like life, is always moving. There will be more bull runs, more chances, more moments when courage whispers, Now. Missing this trade hurt, but it also taught me something precious: Regret is heavier than risk, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is trust yourself.
So I promised myself: next time, when the signs align and my heart pounds with possibility, I’ll take the leap. Because in trading, as in life, the only way to catch the run is to be in the game.