Acronyms dictionary
FOPO
foh-poh
What does FOPO mean?
You may have heard of (and, sadly, experienced) FOMO, “Fear of Missing Out.” Just one letter different, the acronym FOPO captures another state of anxiety: “Fear of People’s Opinions” (sometimes also written “Fear of Other People’s Opinions”). But don’t confuse it with FoPo, the abbreviation for “foreign policy.”
FOPO describes the fear that others are judging you. Though it can affect any area of life, it’s often linked to work and career pressures. FOPO can cause overthinking and reduced confidence, which can ultimately undermine your performance and affect your well-being.
Have you ever sent an email to your manager and then analyzed it for an hour, worried that you sounded inexperienced? Yep, you have a case of FOPO.
Where does FOPO come from?
Psychologist Michael Gervais coined FOPO in his book, The First Rule of Mastery.
The book, which was published in 2023, serves as a guide with strategies to help readers stop worrying about what others think of them and reach their full potential.
Examples of FOPO
Who uses FOPO?
Psychologists, entrepreneurs, and life coaches talk about the dangers of FOPO, including how it can hinder your productivity and hold you back in your career. You’ll come across the term in social media posts, particularly on LinkedIn, where you’ll find career and life coaches using it. It also shows up in articles for business publications, and on podcasts about psychology, business, and self-improvement.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of FOPO like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of FOPO that will help our users expand their word mastery.
