#163 The Psychology of FOPO (Fear of Other Peoples Opinions)

In this episode of 'The Psychology of' series, Keegan sits down with registered psychologist and fellow runner Kyle Andrews to unpack the psychology behind Fear of Failure and FOPO — fear of other people's opinions — and how it shows up in everything from walking into a room where you don't know anyone, to not throwing the pass because you're scared of what people might say. Keegan and Kyle break down how avoidance gives us short term relief but keeps us stuck long term, why our brains build things up to be way bigger than they actually are, and why we massively overestimate how much other people are actually thinking about us. They get into what gradual exposure looks like in practice, how to reframe failure with a growth mindset, and why having someone in your corner, whether that's a psych, a physio, or a mate, can be the difference between staying in your head and actually moving forward. Keegan also shares how FOPO nearly stopped him from starting this podcast, and how Nathan Cleary's battle with fear of other people's opinions during his career became one of the most powerful examples of what it looks like to break through it. Find Kyle at: https://www.instagram.com/_kyleandrews/ https://www.instagram.com/living_with_meaning_therapy/ https://livingwithmeaning.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.