Can FOMO Be Good for You?

There'e more to it than you think

George Pillari & Elizabeth Cappuccino
August 01, 2024

Read time 1m45s

When we think about Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), most of us envision a teenager on her phone furiously trying to keep up with all those important updates poring in from her friends.

While it is true that 70% of millennials experience FOMO, a recent survey disclosed that 21% of people across all ages post vacation pictures for no other reason than to show off. And get this, 10% of those surveyed said they post vacation pictures just to make others feel jealous.

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FOMO has a two-humped curve. Younger generations have higher rates of FOMO, while those in the 35 to 55 year-old range suffer less, and the rate kicks back up for those over 55. I guess if you are busy building a career and/or raising a family you have enough going on, so you worry less about what everybody else is doing.

But FOMO is not new. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors had strong FOMO tendencies that helped them survive. If the tribe was not nearby, then you were alone and vulnerable to predators. The parts of your brain that control these things (the limbic system) triggered a FOMO attack — “Where is everybody?” — and you went and found the safety of the tribe.

In a world of 24×7 connectivity and “friends” posting pictures to make you jealous, how do we deal with FOMO? Develop your FOMO radar.

FOMO radar should cause you to react in the opposite direction of what your senses dictate. When “buy it now while supplies last” is flashed in front of you, don’t think “I better hurry and buy before they run out.” Do think, “Why is the seller doing this? Are they going out of business? Did anybody buy at the previous price? Is the product a piece of junk?”

FOMO-driven behavior is usually emotionally driven behavior. And if you have read any of our newsletters or blog posts, you know we are not fans of such decision making. Develop FOMO radar, refine it, and make it your best friend.

Key Takeaways

Learn to distinguish between survival/safety FOMO (which is a real fear) and social FOMO (which is not a real fear) — there is a big difference.
Question the motivations of friends, merchants, and others whenever there is a hard sell put in front of you. Ask “Why are they doing this?” rather than “Am I going to miss out?”
Learn to step back and observe your situation and decision. Are you being logical and thoughtful? Or are you behaving like a teenager who can’t take her eyes off the phone?

Surrendering to FOMO is one of the Seven Deadly Stupidities.