FOMO, FOBO & The Art of Tuning Out (While Staying Smart)

Hello, FOMO Sapiens,

Is it just me, or has 2025 already been A LOT? ?? Markets are swinging, AI is rewriting the rules, and there’s a fresh celebrity scandal every 12 hours. Oh, right and there is all the political stuff.

Keeping up isn’t just exhausting—it’s impossible. And honestly? Sometimes the smartest move is to miss out on the noise and focus on what actually matters. We’ll be talking about how to miss out on while staying informed, but first, let’s talk about FOMO Sapiens and how FOMO and FOBO are having a little moment.

So, while I totally get it if you want to tune out or it all right now, give me five because it’s time to talk about the things you need to know now:

1. Season 13 of FOMO Sapiens Is Here

2. FOMO Is Having a Moment

3. FOBO Is Also Having a Moment

4. PatGPT: How to Be Informed While Missing Out on the News

1. Season 13 of FOMO Sapiens is Here - And It’s All on Video ??

Season 13 kicked off on January 23rd with full video episodes on Spotify and YouTube. This is the first time that we have gone 100% video and I am thrilled to be able to bring you the show in a whole new way.

To celebrate, we kicked off with a returnee, the much prolific Keith Ferrazzi, author of the brand-new book Never Lead Alone. I got a lot of love for this episode because people love Keith. If you’ve ever read Never Eat Alone, you know that he’s an inspiring thinker.

Since then, we’ve had a nice mix of exceptional people who take their own path to success and who are here to share what they learned with you. This includes:

• Colleen Pelly, Founder of The Linchpin Co, on whether balance is even possible,
• HBS Prof. Allison Wood Brooks on how to up your communications game.

Next up in February, we have:

• Author William Green, whose book Richer, Wiser, Happier, on the mindset of the billionaire was praised as “one of the best investing books ever written” by legendary investor Charlie Munger,
• The founders of Caveday, who are back to talk about what’s been up since our interview way back during the deep pandemic, and…
• The founder of Fancypants bakery, Maura Duggan, on how she grew up premium cookie business out of her kitchen.

All Episodes

2. FOMO is Having a Moment ??

The Atlantic recently ran a piece exploring the deeper meaning of FOMO, and I had the chance to be interviewed for it. The article, titled Your FOMO is Trying to Tell You Something, dives into how FOMO isn’t just about anxiety or distraction—it can also be a signal of potential, growth, and the desire for meaningful experiences. We talked about how I originally coined the term, how the world has changed since then, and why I believe not all FOMO is bad—especially when it pushes you toward something valuable. The piece also breaks down the difference between aspirational FOMO (seeking out opportunities that enrich your life) and herd FOMO (panicking about being left out), and why learning to distinguish between the two can be a game-changer.

It’s always exciting to see how the conversation around FOMO continues to evolve, and this article is a great reflection of that. Thanks to all of you from all over the place who reached out - I am always super honored when a fancy publication like The Atlantic writes about my favorite four-letter word.

Read the article

3. FOBO is Also Having a Moment ????

As if on cue, the same week The Atlantic published its deep dive into FOMO, another piece I was interviewed for—this time about FOBO (Fear of a Better Option)—dropped in HuffPost. The article explores how FOBO is quietly making decision-making harder than ever, especially in an era where we have endless choices at our fingertips. It was wild timing, but also a reminder that these concepts—FOMO and FOBO—are more relevant than ever. The HuffPost piece struck a nerve, going semi-viral as people recognized their own paralysis-by-analysis habits and the constant struggle to make “perfect” choices. Seeing both of these ideas—one about chasing opportunities and the other about being trapped by indecision—getting so much attention in the same week was pretty surreal. Clearly, we’re all still figuring out how to navigate the noise and make smarter choices in 2025.

Read the article

4. PatGPT: How to Be Informed While Missing Out on the News ??

News FOMO is real. With breaking stories, social media hot takes, and endless analysis flooding our feeds, it’s easy to feel like you need to be online 24/7 just to keep up. But let’s be honest—most of it is noise. Consuming too much news can leave you anxious, distracted, and no better informed than before.

The key isn’t tuning out completely, but rather being intentional about what you consume and how. Here are three ways to stay informed without drowning in the news cycle:

1. Set Time Limits – Instead of constant checking, schedule when you’ll read/watch the news. Try one-two deep dive per day rather than refreshing every hour.
2. Curate Your Sources – Follow a few trusted outlets instead of doomscrolling through social media. Opt for quality over quantity. Take the apps you don’t need off your phone and unfollow the sources that give you anxiety.
3. Lean Into Summaries – Use news digests, podcasts, or weekly roundups to get the most important updates without the noise.

Managing news FOMO is about control—you decide what’s worth your attention, not the algorithm. And once you break the cycle of compulsive checking, you’ll realize you didn’t miss much after all.

Listen at Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! And while you’re there, please consider liking, subscribing, and leaving a review. Plus, get ready for more episodes coming your way that are devoted to bold thinkers and entrepreneurs.

As always, thank you for being a part of the FOMO Sapiens community. I'm excited to continue bringing you valuable content and insights that can help you escape the treadmill and forge a unique path to success in business and life.

That’s it for now, FOMO Sapiens. Stay sane. Stay mentally strong. Keep the faith.

Patrick

P.S. Got ideas for FOMO Sapiens guests or themes? Slide into my DMs or reply to this email—I’d love to hear them!

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