The under explored emotion

There was a quote I heard recently that stuck with me: “Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. So go out there and make a fool of yourself.” I can't help but smile when I hear that. Because it's true: embarrassment has followed me around in almost everything I've tried to do. For a long time, I let it stop me from posting, from sharing, from writing. I thought too much about how other people might see me. But over time, I've realized that embarrassment is a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you are. I’ve made mistakes. Fallen short. Picked the wrong path when the right one was obvious in hindsight. I can name plenty just from the last few weeks and I’m sure I’ll make plenty more. But looking back, the only way forward has ever been through those moments. The sting of embarrassment fades, but the lessons stick. Just like running, the pain subsides after the run but the feeling remains. That's why embarrassment is such a powerful teacher. You don't grow by sitting comfortably in the safe zone. You grow by putting yourself out there: writing essays and attaching them to your Instagram, publishing code that breaks, pitching an idea that people tell you won't work. Embarrassment is the toll you pay to cross into new territory. And here’s the kicker: no one is watching you as closely as you think. The harshest critic you’ll ever face is the one in your own head. Most people see your post, your video, your attempt…and move on to their own problems. They’re not dissecting your every word. If someone is spending their energy tearing you down, that says more about them than about you. So embarrassment becomes liberating. It strips away the noise and shows you whose opinions actually matter: your own, and maybe a few trusted people in your corner. Everyone else? They're not thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are. Which brings me to consistency. Embarrassment only loses power when you keep showing up. Post again tomorrow. Share the next update. Send the next email. Write the next essay. Keep breaking down the barriers until there is nothing left standing in your way. Embarrassment and consistency is the price of growth. And the ones who keep paying that price, over and over, are the ones who eventually break through. We’ll see if this holds true.