I recently reconnected with an old friend. I asked why I haven’t seen her at events where I would normally see her. Her answer surprised me, but her explanation was something I felt for a long time. I just couldn’t crystalize the words like she did.

We make it a point to go to business events and conferences so we can keep up with what is new in our industry. We do it to keep current, and see how others are utilizing information and skills in new ways. The topics are endless but somehow, we can always say I need to learn more about XYZ. 

Or maybe, it’s not so much about the topic, but a popular presenter that you’d like to get to know a little better. Maybe they have a certain style that you like, or a different and unique way of delivering their information. Whatever the case, you buy that ticket because you think that without this information, you won’t be able to get to the next level. Or if you are not there participating in the experience, you’ll be behind everyone else.

What I just loosely described is FOMO – Fear of Missing Out. If I’m not there, I’ll miss out on the information, miss out on the connections, miss out on the brainstorming, miss out on “fill in the blank.” Nobody wants to miss out so we buy that ticket and go. We rationalize that we won’t grow without having this specific information right now.

I get FOMO, but for me, there was something else bothering me. I would get all this great information, take all the notes and then file it. When the next event rolled around, I would do the same thing. I then realized I was listening to different people basically tell me how they approach a problem. I can have a problem and everyone may have a different solution for you. All good solutions, but who is right? 

I realized that I was getting overwhelmed. So many solutions to problems. All good solutions mind you, but which path do I take. And here’s where my friend filled in the missing puzzle piece. When you get to the point where you are overwhelmed, you begin to feel inadequate. I’m listening to all these experts, all great content, all great delivery and you start to feel that I won’t be able to measure up to that. So I end up implementing nothing.

So I asked her what the solution is and she said, “turn off the faucet.”

My friend was caught in the cycle too but was savvy enough to turn off the faucet. We get inundated with information that we do not implement. We already have enough information to get us to the next level but we don’t implement it because FOMO keeps us busy getting more.

The goal then is to put a pause on the information stream and concentrate on working with information you already have collected. It was all good stuff that just needed to be used and worked through your own system. Taking those golden nuggets that you think you can embrace to help you is far more productive than getting more new and improved information. When the faucet was turned off, my friend’s business grew more.

I’ve made a conscious effort to get through and purge all my saved emails. I stumbled upon one email from 2020; a step-by-step guide in the sales area to get me to the next level. I’ve been looking for such a guide and already had it. When I read it, I felt euphoric and not so inadequate. Now all I have to do is implement

Sometimes, you already have what you need to Move Forward. Don’t feel so inadequate.

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