Have you heard of FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out? Many of my clients speak of it often. They can’t skip a meeting. What if they miss vital information? Or face time with others? They can’t take a quiet evening at home. What if they miss the fun? They can’t say no to most people and most offers. What if they miss something great? Or if they’re viewed as uncooperative or not really in the game.
We’re driven by FOMO, but I think FOMO may be slowly killing us. Or at least killing our ability to lead Thoughtfully.
Thoughtful leadership requires focus and attention. FOMO can rob us of that. Thoughtful leadership necessitates that we’re mindful and in the moment, that we’re intentional and even strategic in what we do and how we do it. Thoughtful leadership enables us to build our connections – with ourselves and with others. On the contrary, FOMO keeps us from all of this by forcing us to stay in a reactive mode. We need to see what is going on everywhere, so that we miss nothing.
What if we let go of our FOMO? What if we Thoughtfully approached each situation or meeting request, and were in choice as to whether or not we really needed, or wanted, to be included? I know it’s easy to say but tough to do, so here are a few questions to ask yourself to get FOMO out of your driver’s seat:
- Do I really need to be there/attend this?
- Do I really want to?
- What am I really potentially missing out on if I miss this opportunity? Am I missing anything?
- What else can I say yes to by saying no to this?
- Who else would benefit from attending instead of me?
- How can I not miss out, even if I have to miss this event?
There are tons of wonderful opportunities and experiences to be had, and many important meetings and conversations to attend. I’m not suggesting we simply say no to everything, but I am suggesting that we carefully, and Thoughtfully, give our choices the anti-FOMO test, so that we don’t miss out on the real, essential opportunities that we, and our leadership, desire and deserve.
How do you conquer your FOMO?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For support in being Thoughtfully driven (versus FOMO-driven), contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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