I will admit that I regularly experience an overwhelming sense of FoMO when it comes to my profession. FoMO, or Fear of Missing Out, is a uniquely 21st Century condition. At it’s core, FoMO perpetuates the fear of having made the wrong decision on how to spend one’s time, because one imagines how things could, or should, be different. It’s usually linked to social activities and tied to an near-obsessive use of social media. But I would argue that in our busy, overcrowded world, FoMO can manifest itself in multiple areas.

This was brought into sharp relief for me the other day when I read a post from Liz Ryan called These Ten Policies Are an Embarrassment to the HR Profession . I agreed with some of it. I was baffled by much of it. Liz is a disruptor. I’m actually a fan of her philosophy at The Human Workplace– which I would summarize as keeping the workplace human. Great idea and something I have always been committed to in my 20+ years as an HR leader.

While I support her philosophy, I struggle with some of her messages. And not just hers (I’m not picking on Liz, her piece just happened to be the tipping point for me). I find myself increasingly frustrated and overwhelmed by the ideas that are flying around about what should and should not be allowed, expected, or addressed in today’s workplace. Couple that with the voice of the employment attorney (hint: not necessarily known, as a profession, for their innovation) and what’s your average HR Director to do?

I don’t think this is unique to the world of HR. It applies in multiple arenas: parenting, education, medicine, communications, marketing and advertising, technology…you name it. Insert the specifics of your world here and I’m sure you’ve experienced something similar.

I get it  – there are different types of people and different types of leaders. Some of us are born to push the envelope, relentlessly pursuing and pushing those around us (or dragging them, kicking and screaming) on to the next big thing. Then there’s the opposite extreme, the ones who never vary from their tactics or approach because it has always worked for them in the past and if it isn’t working that’s somebody else’s issue.

Personally, I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I think most of you are, too. I am all for new, but not just for the sake of doing something new. I’m also a big fan of tradition, but only insomuch as that tradition serves a real purpose or a real need.

Maybe you, like me, are finding yourself unsettled by those who are disrupters by nature. After all, our culture today rewards disruption. If you push the envelope, sacrifice the sacred cows on an open flame, or flat out ignore things that you no longer believe to be relevant – you are a hero. I am not opposed to innovation. Neither am I a fan of “throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater” approaches to anything.  

STOP. THE. INSANITY.

Seriously. It’s enough to make a guy run for the hills (or actively seek out a career change).

I think, though, there is room for the middle ground here. Anything we adopt or bring into our lives or professional practice should exist for one purpose – to move us closer to our vision. We should be incorporating the best of what’s out there in order to get better at what we do, whether that’s as a leader, a homeschool mom, a pastor, or whatever your role in the world.

If, like me, you are trying to learn how to manage the craziness, maybe these approaches will help you.

Turn Off the Internet

In other words, stop reading EVERYTHING that comes out (except this blog, of course). That is far easier said than done, but at the end of the day you do NOT have to read it all nor do it all. Period. You simply have more choices today than at any time in history. If you’re working on multiple new habits or techniques, then stop reading about more for the time being. When you’ve completed some of the transition, then you can start looking around again.

Or file what you’re reading away for another time. Use a tool like Pocket or a site like Pinterest (yes, guys use Pinterest, too) that allow you to save content for future use.

Know Your Business Cold

Whatever your business may be, know it cold. What are you focused on? What drives your success? What are you trying to accomplish? Be crystal clear about what it is that defines success in your endeavor. This is critical for your filtering mechanism. Once you have that down, you should be able to quickly identify when an opportunity, technique, or idea will help you achieve that success or take you in a different direction. If it isn’t moving you towards success, get rid of it. Do not give it any attention.

See the Truth

Be realistic about what’s working or what’s not working as it relates to your goals. Especially if what’s not working happens to be you! By honestly knowing yourself and what you are and are not willing to adjust to move forward, then you know what to pay attention to and what you can ignore. Don’t make a decision on the basis of what you want to be true, make it on the basis of what is actually true about your capability, your circumstances, your time, your family, etc.

Craft Your Vision

What does your future look like when you add that new technique or change how you do what you do? If you were the exact leader you most want to be, what does that look like? When you release your kids into the world, what kind of people do you want them to be? Where is all of this going? Write it down. Then, if you’re reading the latest blog or “research” you’ll be able to tell pretty quickly if it can help move you towards your vision.

By the way – I’d love to help you work through and create this vision. Just click on contact and let’s talk about it.

Be Realistic

Contrary to popular belief, you really can’t do more than one thing at a time. And you really can’t focus on a lot of different projects all at once. This tip is closely related to seeing the truth. You need to cut yourself some slack and understand what you can and cannot take on at any given moment. Sometimes, the answer has to be – not yet. Finish some things before trying to tackle others. No one can do it all, no matter what popular culture would have you believe.

Keep Moving the Needle

Slow and steady wins the race. Always. Because, really, the only person you are racing against is you. Whether you are trying to get better at something, change a habit or behavior, or accomplish your life’s purpose, the only competition is yourself. You may not be able to affect change quickly, but you can change SOMETHING. Do that and move forward. Eventually, you will get it done.

Start now. Or better yet, stop now. Don’t ponder. Take one action, right now – before clicking off this page – to stop the insanity in your world. Then tell me about it in the comments below. I’d love to hear your ideas and how it’s going for you.

For additional information, check out Michael Hyatt ‘s new site, Free to Focus.