Hype Type Revealer - See your Calm tips and tricks

Let’s explore how smart investors give themselves the best chance of success by looking through the ‘act now or miss out’ hype.

What is ‘Urgency Hype’?

Some investment promotions want you to pile in now - without thinking about any of the risks. Be wary of any kind of investment sold by ‘right now or never’ hype that pressurises you to act straight away. 

It’s human nature to try to grab opportunities, especially when they feel like great chances that just won’t wait. We might be told an investment won’t be around tomorrow, or there’s a limited number available and others will get in first. Or the hype might say the price will be higher next week, maybe rising above a level that is affordable to you. Whatever the story is, it’s all about hyping you into making rushed decisions.

Only fools rush in

Urgency hype tries to create excitement to get the better of your judgement. But remember that we often make our worst decisions when we’re feeling pumped up. When the adrenaline’s flowing, we’re more at risk of making rash investment decisions.

So, when an investment relies on now-or-never hype to sell - whether you’re seeing ads, hearing about it from influencers or celebs - it’s probably best avoided. Promos will hype the opportunity – but take all the time you need to understand the risks, as well as the rewards.

Personal pointers

Drop: Making ‘now or never’ investments. The pressure you might feel to invest in an opportunity before it’s gone will be designed to stop you reflecting on whether the investment is right for you.

Pick up: Investing time before you invest money. There’s no hard or fast rule as to how much research you should do before investing, but there are at least two important questions you should be able to answer: what is the worst-case scenario? And can I afford to lose the money I have invested in the short term?