Over the years, I have become well known for helping people overcome their fears. I’ve shown people how to handle spiders, how to drum with vegetables and how to fly off on holiday.

There is one fear, however, that we all have, which I’m now on a mission to help people conquer: The fear of missing out.

This is a fear I’ve always been aware of, of course. I’ve seen it in my work as the Weight Loss Guru, where people can’t stop browsing at a buffet, because they fear they will miss out on tasting everything that is there. I’ve seen it in my work with organisations too – there are plenty of people driving themselves to exhaustion as they go to every meeting and insist on being told about every project because they can’t accept that things will function without them.

For most of though – myself included – the developments in technology over the last ten years has brought out the FOMO in us all.

If you take a moment to observe people walking down the street, many are interacting with their mobile devices as they move. Others, while not actively reading, will have their phone in their hand and be glancing at it. It is the same on the bus or train, in the restaurant and when we are sitting at home.

We just have to check: “Did someone comment on my post?” “Has anyone emailed me?” “What is the latest post on LinkedIn?” “Is there a new video of kittens on YouTube?”

And, if we are unable to check, we become really uncomfortable and worried. Those are symptoms of addiction and it can be massively debilitating. While all this compulsive checking is going on we are only putting a small part of our attention on the things that really matter.

You know: your family, your friends, your health….

So my challenge to you is to become more aware of where you are putting your attention and to ask yourself where do you want to be putting your attention?

After all, while you are busy checking Snapchat, you might just miss out on something that really matters.

If you want to become more aware and let go of FOMO check out my free video training course at www.petecohen.com/coaching