I will never own a Ferrari.
“Travelling triggers the fear of missing out (FOMO) like nothing else. It opens up an entire world of alternative lives that you will never get to live. It’s like FOMO concentrate”.
I write these words, while sitting cross legged on the floor in the racing hall of fame of the Ferrari museum in Maranello, Italy. White lit up shelves circle the perimeter of the round room with black ribbed ceiling. The lights are strategically pointed at the cars. The line up starts with the 500 F2 – a bullet of a car, first used in 1951, and ends with the most recent F2008. All in Rosso Corsa – the name for that well known hue of red. Ferrari red.
The first thought that flashes though my mind: “This is cool”. The second thought: “I will never drive a Ferrari”. The third thought: “I will never own a Ferrari”. The fourth – “I will never be a race car driver”. The fifth – “I will never know what it’s like to stand on the F1 podium with a bottle of champagne”.
Pretty surreal how we went from “cool” to “FOMO” in less than a second, and then stayed there, no? Welcome to the inside of my head.
The portraits of Ferrari F1 World Champions go back to Alberto Ancari – the winner in the 1950s, and finish with names like Michael Schumacher, and Sebastian Vettel. The trophies – dozens of them – look like mini spaceships, most silver, but some are light gold or bronze in color. Trophies resembling bowls, chalices, towers, spheres, and even UFOs. One after another, symbols of someone else’s dedication, focus, success.
And the quote by Enzo Ferrari himself – in cursive along the wall: “La vittoria piu bella e quella che deve ancora venire”.
“The finest victory is that which is yet to be won”.
What does success mean? How do you become successful? Money or fame? Professional success? Or family? Freedom, flexibility and ability to travel?
A young man is glued to the glass display. He is probably in their early 20s, although neither looks a day over eighteen. He is all legs – jeans hanging off his long frame. I wonder what success means to him. Surely, it’s different from what it means to me.
One of my clients gathers her whole family – husband, and five children – in her kitchen every morning to pray. A friend is currently at the bouldering world championship in California. Another friend is starting a blog.
Realizations of “I will never be…” or “I will never have…” variety are of two types. impossible possible, but not within my list of priorities I will never know what it’s like to grow up in Italy in the 1920s. Impossible. I will never own a Ferrari. Because my wealth will never translate into status symbol purchases. Possible, but not within my list of priorities.
The trouble with FOMO is that it pulls you out of the present moment, and into the dozens of alternative universes that do not matter.
I am here. I am here right now.
So are you.
Hugs, SOLO