How JOMO (The Joy Of Missing Out) Can Transform Your Life

Everyone deals with FOMO (fear of missing out).

It’s a crappy feeling when you see your friends out having fun while you’re at home.

But you know what an even worse feeling is?

Being broke as shit ten years from now because all you did was party in your 20s.

The solution? Develop a JOMO mindset.

JOMO is the Joy Of Missing Out. But it’s not what you think.

This isn’t about never being social or becoming a hermit that works 24/7 in a cave.

It’s about rewiring your brain to perceive and value social activity differently, as well as prioritizing things that are meaningful.

Because right now the average guy is hardwired to think “I need to go out, why am I not going out, I’m a loser if I don’t go out and drink”, and you can thank social media for that.

And as a result most guys waste WAY too much time screwing around, getting drunk, and developing bad habits.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and a place to party.

But if it consumes your whole life, you just become that dude at the bar who’s whole personality is drinking.

Luckily, I’m telling you that you can cure your FOMO mindset.

And you can develop a healthy balance of going out and grinding on things that make you money.

The Real Fuel Behind FOMO

The first way to start detoxing your brain of FOMO is to reduce the source of FOMO; social media.

FOMO is fueled by social media's highlight reels. And it can have real effects on your psychological and physical health.

FOMO can lead individuals to overextend themselves, both financially and socially, in pursuit of experiences that they believe will enhance their happiness and social standing.

You’ve probably dropped over $200 on dinner for some girl that ended up ghosting you.

Or maybe you’ve been pressured into paying a tab because your boy “gets paid on Friday” and he’s “gotchu later” (which we all know is a total lie).

You can also lose energy, health, and sleep because of FOMO.

When you start spending every weekend drinking, it becomes a habit. You lose days that could’ve been spent making money, you lose sleep, you gain weight from drinking and eating like shit…the list goes on.

The Self Determination Theory (SDT)

The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) explains how a person’s decision making changes when there isn’t external influence and interference.

And it’s crazy just how much more productive people can be when they aren’t influenced by outside forces like peer pressure.

See…your mind is naturally programmed for growth.

It constantly wants to learn more things, make more money, and enhance your life.

But every time you influence your perspective with peer pressure or social media, your brain reprioritizes your needs to reduce the stress from FOMO.

So how do you make the jump from FOMO to JOMO?

Clarifying What JOMO Really Is

Embracing JOMO ain't just about chilling and saying no to plans.

It’s about finding the right balance of social activity and money making activity.

Or, as Tanya Dalton explains it in her book "The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less," it’s about doing things that are meaningful.

But how do you define meaningful?

Meaningful would be anything that improves your life.

That could be either making money OR going out with friends.

It’s just about finding the balance and cutting out things that are truly negative, or that result in a net loss of money, health, or energy.

Focus on prioritizing the values you care about and clarifying your goals.

Once you really know where you want to be in 5 years, you’ll start shifting your decision making.

How To Shift To A JOMO Mindset

It’s not easy shifting to JOMO.

It’s like trying to enjoy getting punched in the face.

Because staying home when others are partying hurts emotionally…but only because you’ve been brainwashed into thinking you’re a loser for staying in.

But if you’re staying in and putting in WORK, making money…then you’re not a loser.

Everyone getting drunk every weekend (while you secure your financial future), they’re the losers.

Believe me, when you start seeing REAL progress and real money in your bank account each month, you’ll find literal joy in not wasting your time anymore.

Here are some tips to start escaping FOMO and shift to JOMO:

1. Audit Your Time: For a week, track where your hours go. You'll see the leaks…social media, pointless browsing, gaming. Awareness is the first step to cutting out the crap. You need to remember that you have an entire other half the day at night, it’s not just for dorking around.

2. Prioritize Ruthlessly: Make a list of what’s crucial for your goals, both personal and professional. If it doesn’t make you better or bring you closer to your goals, question its place in your life and remove it if necessary.

3. Unlock Your “Deep Work” Ability: Cal Newport dropped the concept of "deep work" which is basically getting into a zone where you're so focused, time flies and quality work gets done. Block out time in your calendar for deep work sessions. Phone off, notifications off, world off. It's just you and the grind.

The BMM Takeaway

Productivity through JOMO is about quality over quantity.

It's ditching the rat race for a marathon you actually want to run.

And it feels damn good once you finally escape your “FOMO withdrawal”.

JOMO lets you break free from the 'should do's and lets you focus on the 'want to's and 'need to's.

It's a mentality shift from being reactive to proactive.

And when you apply this to your work? Magic happens. Work doesn't feel like work when it's driven by purpose and passion.

Missing out? It's not a loss. It's your gain.