The Artist and FOMO
First, I want to start off with a disclaimer: although I may speak in general terms, when I say "artists," I'm really talking about myself or creative people I've known and interacted with-- everyone is obviously an individual and handles things in unique ways. So this post is really about how this artist deals with this particular struggle.
FOMO (fear of missing out) is everywhere. Although the term itself is relatively recent to those of us who remember life before the internet, the concept is as old as humans. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Satan tempted Eve by telling her she would be like God if she ate the fruit from the forbidden tree. Most people are deeply aware of this feeling, even if they might not admit how much of a hold it has over their lives.
Artistic FOMO is a unique beast. If we've learned any art history, we've been introduced to the stories of artists from all walks: privileged, poor, psychotic, hardworking, drunk, genius, humble, persecuted--many of us can name an artist or two that would fit one or more of those descriptions. As individual artists, where do we fit into that spectrum?
For the modern artists in a sea of others (who are all vying for views and sales on the internet), it can feel discouraging to find our own unique paths. I can put hours into a painting or a thoughtful blog post, and once it's uploaded I know it will be swallowed up by a fresh wave of other content within the hour. Some of it finds it way through the internet, and I'm happy to hear when it does. For the most part though, I know that each upload feels like a drop in a bucket that is taking a long time to fill.
Speaking of other artists' content, it can feel equally overwhelming to see what our fellow artists are putting out there. Videos, contest winnings, sales, stunningly unique work, photos of polished and peaceful-looking studios, event promotions--scrolling artist feeds can bring about that nagging feeling that I'm missing something! I'm not spending enough time painting, posting, improving my skills, booking new classes, organizing and using my materials-- there suddenly appears an endless list of things I'm missing out on, if I let this feeling take over.
Thankfully, I've learned to tune it out.
On a personal level, my failsafe method for blocking this feeling is to touch base with my faith: God has blessed me richly in ways I never even would have considered when I was younger, and those blessings are to be appreciated every hour of every day. This doesn't mean there won't be struggles, but remembering those blessings and being grateful for them is a daily practice for me. There are occasions where I'm aware of missing out on things, but I still feel content with what I already do get to enjoy. It's a peaceful feeling to let that gratefulness fill my day.
On an artistic level, a practical way I tune this feeling out is to spend some time each day doing something to move my art in a forward direction. Some days I'll spend more time than others, but as long as I spent some time each day doing something to keep it going, I consider it a win.
What does that look like? It can be as little as scrolling through my ebay listings and adjusting prices, scanning my Etsy store for ways to improve listings with better keywords (or filling out yet another one of their updated descriptive fields, a topic for another time). A few minutes organizing collections and reposting artwork on the Daily Paintworks home page is another quick task. Spending an hour or so uploading a blog post on Fine Art America is a rewarding way to clear my head as well as share my artwork. Some days are tech-oriented, which might include scanning, photographing, and editing new work to upload, or writing and posting new painting tutorials.
The best days are painting-oriented, which might mean short tasks like finishing up a painting that just needs those final touches. On the days with more time, it means completing or making significant progress on a painting or two. For the days where the time just wasn't there, even 20 minutes of sketching or painting before bed helps set that nagging FOMO aside.
There are even the days where I technically didn't do any drawing, painting, or writing, but I still got creative and did something with my hands. These "off" days are still allowing me to use the creative skills I've been given, even if they don't end up for sale on a website. Playing with new materials and media also count as creative time-- they might lead to new techniques or series pieces, or they might be valuable lessons learned through failure.
If you have something you're passionate about, don't allow FOMO to creep in and affect that passion. Others might appear to be more productive and active in that arena than you currently feel. In reality, everyone goes through ebbs and flows of productivity and activity. If you see or hear of something you'd like to be included in or try, go for it! If you're spending time scrolling and wishing you had someone else's talent, experience, or career, set the phone aside and pick up a task that puts you in direct, physical contact with your passion.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most of us have lives outside of our art-- we have jobs, family responsibilities, or other interests that take up our time. Sometimes the FOMO we think we're feeling is actually a gentle reminder not to lose touch with our creative selves, in which case it can be useful to make some time to reconnect with our talents. There's a fine line between sensing a responsibility to keep things moving forward and feeling like we're missing out on what others are experiencing-- if you've been neglecting your passion, that's a legitimate feeling of loss that you will need to address. If you're letting what you see others experiencing creep into your own feelings, it's probably time to recognize the effects of giving in to FOMO and tune back into your own practice.
(On a seemingly unrelated note, I realize this whole topic might be difficult for the more competitive natures among us--if you find yourself in that cohort and feeling the FOMO, I highly recommend getting back to work on those pieces for your next juried show!)
I actually did have to miss out on posting for a month or so while my website crashed and burned. Thankfully I have a new website that is up and running, so click here if you'd like to stop by and take a look!
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