The Joy of Missing Out

According to Wikipedia, the fear of missing out or FOMO is “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent”. This can show up as “a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing”.

FOMO is everywhere in modern, urban life. Most of the time it’s a minor irritant but it can also show up as a serious obstacle to committing to the life we want. For that reason, I think it’s worth having another look at FOMO and seeing if we can find a use for it.

If you’ve worked with me at all, you’ll recall that I talk a lot about choice, commitment and “towards moves”.  Notice that any time we move towards what we want, there is a road not taken. There is a life that we have chosen not to commit to at this moment.

In fact, FOMO might be the best indicator we have that we’ve made an important choice. As Oliver Burkeman puts it, “‘Staying aware of what I’m not doing enhances my sense of actively choosing what I am doing’”.  So next time FOMO shows up for you, see if you can notice it – and also notice the toward move that it is pointing to.

Kind regards, Paul