Focusing On Bolder Opportunities?!
“The
future depends on what you do today.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
Patrick McGinnis, American venture capitalist and author, has coined new terms to describe two psychological states that he has noticed exist in contemporary society. One you may have heard of: FOMO or Fear of Missing Out; the new one is called FOBO or Fear of Better Options. In a recent article in The Guardian, he states that “Fobo is an affliction of affluence…to have Fobo you must have options.”
There is often a narrative that surrounds young people, which is that they have lots of choices. This perspective is usually based on the fact that they still have a lot of life ahead of them, and that change is inevitable. You may wonder what is the cause or root of the “fear” in Fobo. McGinnis suggests that it is around decision-making: “A fear of letting go. In order to choose something, you must let go of another thing.”
I agree with his hypothesis. Across history, there are the stories of young people who have chosen to explore a complex problem around the greater social good i.e. to make a difference not just to themselves but for others. Current young leaders that come to mind are:
And there will be numerous others that we’ve not heard of, who are leading under the celebrity radar. The essence of leadership is influencing a situation to make a difference, and as McGinnis suggests, personal choices are the starting point.
Launching Young Leaders is a one day workshop for young people which helps participants to explore themselves and what making a difference might mean for them. In this space, they can consider what those “better options” might be. Previous participants have spoken about seeing changes in how they influence; altered perceptions about where their strengths and weaknesses are; and how empowered they now feel to create change.
Launching Young Leaders is aimed at young people between the age of 18 and 28; although this is not a rigid requirement, so please ask for a conversation if you’re outside the limits. One of the main aims of the day is to help you discover there is no better option than being yourself and giving your best.
Coreene Archer
Director, Launching Young Leaders
The next Launching Young Leaders workshop happens on Thursday, 14 May 2020 at the Tavistock Institute, near Old Street tube.
You can register here – there’s currently an Early Bird discount of £25. If you’d like to express an interest and/or have a chat or if you have any questions, please contact Anabel Navarro.
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