I constantly struggle with Essentialism.
I bite off more than I can chew.
I take on more than I can handle.
I’ve gotten better at saying No to others. But how do I say No to myself?
After all, every website, book, and idea is a brilliant opportunity to indulge in a refreshing new experience.
Because of this, I have:
- Ever a growing list of books on the To-Read list, but don’t read.
- The multitude of tabs opened in my browser that I don’t get around to “browsingâ€.
- Bulging Projects and To-Do list.
And all of that makes me miserable.
How do I say NO to a potentially wonderful experience and feel good about missing out on it?
Below are books that explore this dilemma:
- Getting Things Done by David Allen.
- Essentialism by Greg McKewon.
- Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz.
- Bottleneck Rules by Clarke Ching
The bedrock of them all is GTD, which helps corral one’s commitments and provides various degrees of Focus & perspective. The other books listed above too have provided me with tools to get clearer on what is most Meaningful & Fulfilling.
Last fortnight I discovered yet another spanner for my Essentialism Tool Belt. And that’s the nifty Acronym…JOMO
What’s JOMO? It’s the: Joy Of Missing Out!
The idea of JOMO was first coined by Anil Dash in 2012! It’s been around for eight years and I never heard of it. It’s such a clever, delightful, relieving twist to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). I don’t know about you, but just hearing JOMO in this Acronymy, poetic way, gives permission to say ‘No’ to the next exciting experience.
Yes, I’m going to miss out on the next:
- Life-changing book,
- Box-Office smashing blockbuster,
- Million-Dollar idea
and you know what….I’m okay about it. Heck, I’m JOYOUS On Missing Out on it.
FOMO and YOLO focus on a scarcity mindset. The world’s resources are limited and the winner is the one who takes all.
Whereas JOMO has this underlying current, the one who misses out is the winner. Just by being in a Clear empty space, he has the potential to see and experience something greater. Or perhaps by saying NO is experiencing it right now.
Have a go this week, try saying No to FOMO and instead experience JOMO.