On the Joy of Missing Out

Six months ago, I wanted a job in Tech. I wanted to be part of the boom. I knew I had the skills and enough experience to make a jump. Instead, I moved to another company in the same business I was already in. I missed out and got lucky. This was not the first time that doing the boring, unsexy thing made my life better.

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)

When I was in my twenties, I always felt like I had to be there. It did not matter what it was. A concert, a dinner, a sports event. I felt like if I did not go, I would be missing out. Missing out meant I could miss opportunities, miss making the connections that would help me move forward and succeed in my life. So as a natural introvert, I pushed out of my comfort zone day in and day out. I pushed myself hard, so that I could be there, just in case this would lead to the random event that would change my life. I felt this way about work and my personal life.

It was draining, but also, it was exhilarating. The world really felt like my oyster, to use yet another platitude. I met so many people across the world and within the company I worked at. I could go to any office in the world and claim to have a friend. In some places, I would even have a place to stay. I did a great job at connecting with people, despite my natural shy and introverted personality. At that point in my career, a…