Urban Dictionary defines FOMO as the ‘Fear Of Missing Out’, that creeping sensation you get when you’re out of the loop. FOMO was an apt title for the latest album by Liam Finn (son of Neil Finn of Crowded House and Split Enz fame), created in a studio isolated from friends soaking up the New Zealand summer sun.
FOMO is inextricably linked to the idea of opportunity cost – we don’t want to miss out on something we are passionate about, or that our friends are involved with. Research suggests that this state of consciousness is becoming entrenched in our lives, fuelled by always-on digital content and telecommunication. Participation is our priority, driven by an online environment that is available 24/7/365 and responsible for creating introductions, opportunities, sparking imaginations and fostering ideas.
FOMO is debilitating for some but can also be empowering as a motivation to reach out and be part of something else. In an age when a new revolution of one kind or another is born every minute it’s likely that you are missing out on something. So use FOMO as a driver to create connections, share and thrive. Better yet, make generating FOMO in others an aspiration, a benchmark for a truly compelling cause, movement, business or brand. Don’t just get my attention. Grab me by the heartstrings. FOMO me.
