what is FOMO

What is FOMO?

DrColler Productivity

Have you heard this FOMO acronym? It stands for “Fear of Missing Out.”

It’s an emotion that I think we can all relate to. It starts when we’re young and there’s a party or event that we aren’t invited to or cannot attend for some reason.

It’s a panicky internal turmoil that your life is presently being derailed from its greatest potential because you aren’t there.

You’re missing out and your life will forever be marred.

This has become amplified to an extraordinary level in the current age of social media where hype is constant and nearly irresistible, especially when combined with the numbers of ‘likes,’ ‘I’m goings,’ and other metrics designed to intensify the FOMO phenomenon.

Since our young people are still negotiating their emotions and trying to find their way in the world, they seem to be particularly vulernable to this.

Back in the old days (ha!) if you couldn’t attend something and had to miss out, most likely you would engage yourself with those you were with and find enjoyment where you were. Of course, your thoughts might wander back to wondering what you were missing out on from time to time. But it would be fleeting, and you could still move on.

Today, however, you have the ability to torture yourself by not engaging where you’re at, and staying glued to every Tweet and Instagram post pouring out of the event – via your smartphone.

Your FOMO can transform from simply a fear of missing out to a Category-10, my-life-is-over, full-blown-panic, temper-tantrum-inducing insanity.

Of course, if you have a greater degree of emotional stability, then perhaps the social media posts might actually serve to be a positive.

That is, if you can’t be there, then at least you can feel somewhat connected to the event and people.

This is, by far, a better way to approach the intersection of FOMO and social media.

I wanted to define this FOMO thing today because tomorrow I want to explore a different angle of FOMO: the paralyzing effect that it has on commitment.

By the way, if you want to read more about FOMO, check out this link.