How Openmind Helps Us Understand FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
Let’s talk about a modern-day affliction—one that sneaks up on most of us, usually just after we’ve checked social media or heard about a friend’s exciting weekend plans. I’m talking about FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out. It’s everywhere, and it’s powerful. In my position as CEO of Truthsayers, the company behind the Openmind Psychometric Assessment, I get a front-row view of just how deeply FOMO can affect us. It goes far beyond the simple act of feeling left out. FOMO is tangled up with our personalities, our subconscious needs, and our deepest fears about fulfillment and achievement.
With Openmind, we’ve developed a tool that doesn’t just help you recognize these feelings; it helps you understand why they’re there. If FOMO has you second-guessing your choices, it’s time to dig deep. Openmind provides a fresh, innovative way to explore both your conscious and subconscious mindsets, and here’s how.
What is FOMO Really?
At first glance, FOMO seems simple: you see someone doing something fun, and you feel a pang of regret that you’re not doing it too. But FOMO runs deeper than just envy or dissatisfaction. It’s a complex mix of fear, anxiety, and even a touch of self-doubt. It’s the nagging sense that other people are living better, richer, or more fulfilling lives. And it’s often fueled by our modern, hyper-connected world, where we’re constantly bombarded with images of people enjoying exotic vacations, attending exciting events, or hitting impressive career milestones.
FOMO isn’t just about social anxiety or missing out on the latest tech gadget. It’s an emotional response that can affect every aspect of our lives, from career progression to personal relationships and self-worth. I see people every day wrestling with the effects of FOMO, and it’s fascinating how much it impacts their decision-making, mental health, and overall satisfaction with life.
The Science Behind FOMO and Openmind’s Approach
As the developers of Openmind, we created a psychometric assessment tool that goes far deeper than your average personality test. Openmind doesn’t just rely on your self-reported, conscious feelings—what psychologists call “explicit attitudes.” It also taps into your “implicit attitudes,” or the subconscious, automatic feelings you might not even realize you have.
This is a huge deal because we often tell ourselves that we don’t care about missing a certain event or opportunity. But beneath the surface, our subconscious might be reacting very differently. Openmind’s dual approach reveals these hidden emotions, giving us a clear picture of where FOMO truly stems from.
Openness to Experience – A Key Player in FOMO
One of the Big Five personality dimensions that Openmind measures is Openness to Experience. This trait reflects how much we seek out new experiences, creativity, and novelty. In essence, it’s the degree to which you’re open to trying new things, exploring unfamiliar places, and embracing diverse perspectives.
Now, here’s the connection to FOMO. People high in openness naturally crave novelty and exploration. They’re always looking for something new, and they might feel FOMO more intensely if they’re not able to chase these experiences. On the flip side, people low in openness tend to prefer routines, consistency, and familiarity. Ironically, they too might experience FOMO, but for a different reason. They might feel like they’re missing out because they imagine others are leading more exciting lives, even if they themselves don’t particularly want those experiences.
Openmind captures this trait with precision, allowing you to see where you fall on the openness spectrum and how that aligns with your fear of missing out.
The Implicit vs. Explicit Mind: A Conflict of Desires
One of the unique aspects of Openmind is its ability to distinguish between your explicit (conscious) and implicit (subconscious) attitudes. This ‘cognitive dissonance’ is incredibly important for understanding FOMO because our brains are wired to behave differently at these two levels.
Let’s say you tell yourself you don’t care about missing out on a party because you value quiet time at home. That’s your explicit attitude talking. But what if, deep down, you feel a twinge of regret or jealousy seeing others having a good time? That’s your implicit attitude, the part of your brain that reacts automatically and instinctively. Openmind’s unique ability to measure both of these attitudes allows us to see if there’s a conflict. If your explicit and implicit attitudes are misaligned, it can create feelings of unease, dissatisfaction, and yes—FOMO.
By bringing these hidden thoughts and feelings to light, Openmind helps you understand where these anxieties come from and why certain experiences trigger FOMO more than others.
Extraversion and Social Desires
Another Big Five dimension that plays into FOMO is Extraversion. If you’re highly extroverted, you probably have a natural inclination toward social interaction, excitement, and activity. Missing out on social gatherings or events can feel more painful for extroverts because it conflicts with their inner drive to be around others. Openmind captures this trait at both the implicit and explicit levels, allowing extroverts to see if there’s a hidden reason they feel particularly affected by FOMO in social settings.
For introverts, the situation is different. They might experience FOMO not because they crave the social event itself, but because they feel they “should” be there or because they worry about being left out of important conversations. Openmind can reveal this disconnect, helping introverts understand their FOMO in a way that feels authentic to their own social preferences.
Neuro Balance: How Stress and Anxiety Fuel FOMO
Neuro Balance is another key dimension that Openmind measures. It’s essentially a gauge of your emotional resilience and ability to handle stress. FOMO can often be amplified in individuals with lower Neuro Balance, as they’re more prone to feelings of anxiety and worry. For example, someone with a high level of Neuro Balance may feel a twinge of FOMO but quickly let it go, recognizing that missing one event isn’t a big deal.
In contrast, someone with lower Neuro Balance might ruminate on it, fearing that missing this one event means they’ll miss future opportunities as well. Openmind helps individuals see where they stand in terms of emotional resilience, allowing them to develop strategies to manage FOMO and anxiety more effectively.
Agreeableness and the Desire to Please
FOMO doesn’t only come from wanting new experiences or fearing missed opportunities. For some people, FOMO is driven by a desire to be liked, to please others, or to avoid conflict. This is where the Agreeableness dimension comes into play.
If you’re high in agreeableness, you might feel FOMO not because you truly want to be at a certain event, but because you don’t want to let people down. You worry about what others might think if you’re not there. Openmind reveals this aspect of your personality, showing whether your fear of missing out is really a fear of disappointing others. This insight can be incredibly freeing, allowing people to prioritize their own needs rather than constantly catering to others’ expectations.
Using Openmind to Confront FOMO
So, how can we take these insights and turn them into action? Openmind doesn’t just tell you that you experience FOMO; it tells you why, and that’s where the power lies. By understanding the underlying drivers, you can start to take steps to manage these feelings.
Acknowledge the Root Cause: If you’re aware that your FOMO comes from a fear of disappointing others rather than a genuine desire to be involved, you can make conscious decisions about which invitations to accept or decline. You can set boundaries without feeling guilty.
Embrace Personal Preferences: Once you know whether your FOMO is driven by openness, extraversion, or agreeableness, you can embrace your true preferences. If you’re naturally more introverted, for example, give yourself permission to say no to social gatherings without feeling like you’re missing out.
Develop Emotional Resilience: If Neuro Balance is a factor in your FOMO, it might be time to work on building emotional resilience. By strengthening your ability to cope with stress and uncertainty, you’ll find it easier to let go of missed opportunities and focus on the present.
Challenge Misaligned Implicit and Explicit Attitudes: If Openmind reveals a significant gap between your implicit and explicit attitudes, this can be a powerful starting point for self-reflection. Ask yourself why these attitudes don’t align and work on bridging the gap. This can reduce internal conflicts and give you a more consistent outlook on life.
My Journey with FOMO and Openmind
In my own life, Openmind has been an invaluable tool for understanding my own FOMO. I used to say I didn’t care about social events, but my implicit results told a different story. I realized that my FOMO was rooted in a need to feel included and valued, not in the events themselves. Knowing this allowed me to redefine my priorities and focus on relationships and activities that genuinely brought me joy. It was a liberating experience, and I’m proud to say that Openmind has helped countless others have similar breakthroughs.
Conclusion: Embracing a FOMO-Free Life
If you’re ready to confront your FOMO head-on, Openmind can guide you through the journey. It’s not about telling you what you should feel—it’s about helping you understand what you do feel, both consciously and subconsciously. With this knowledge, you’re empowered to make decisions that align with your true self, free from the pressure of what everyone else is doing.
FOMO may be a part of modern life, but it doesn’t have to control you. Openmind gives you the insight and understanding to take back that control, making FOMO a thing of the past. So, are you ready to see what’s really driving your fear of missing out?