Sometimes You've Got To Embarrass Yourself

Gnarlie

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The following post is crammed full of cliches, but there is truth in them, so so be it.

Embarrassment is entirely subjective.

I agree that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, but that doesn't mean you have to be embarrassed if you fail.

Most successful people recognise failure is a necessary step on the road to success. There is no shame in failure, and no reason to be embarrassed about it.

The problem is not the problem, the problem is your reaction to the problem.

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Steve

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Working at home full time is embarrassing. My wife was on a conference call and my dog burped really loudly. She was very embarrassed. But most importantly, I was not.
 

Buka

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I've been turned down applying for jobs as much as anyone I've ever known. I used to apply for jobs I wasn't qualified for, just for sheets and giggles. I've applied for jobs, been turned down, then called later and got the job. I've even been laughed at, and laughed along with the interviewer.

I was applying for a hospital police officer job back in the day. I'm honest and forthcoming on my resume, against the advice of some. The lady interviewer, the Chief of that particular department, said to me after reading my resume, "And what do you want to be when you grow up?" I swear that's what she said. I replied, "Well, I see this has gone well, I should go." And I politely left.

Flash forward ten years. I'm a federal cop and she comes into our secure facility. She, of course, doesn't recognize me, but, oh, do I recognize her. I had called the section head when I saw her approach from afar, told him I know her and do not want her in our facility. He said no problem.

I got to send her away, and man,was she ticked off. Before she left I asked her, "So what do YOU want to be when you grown up? Hmmm?

She had no idea what I was talking about. Which told me everything I needed to know about her.
 

punisher73

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Going back to the OP, I think there is something to be said of putting aside your ego when learning something new. Also, that something worth learning is usually worth doing badly at first while learning (meaning you aren't going to be good right off the bat on something complex)

Let's use the example of riding a bicycle. I'm not aware of anyone who, as a child, was able to hop on a bike without training wheels and start riding it around without falling. Being a child, you don't have an ego and you keep learning and you keep falling until you get it right. Think of an adult trying to learn a new task. Many times the ego is over involved and can't accept not being good at something, so the failure leads to embarrassment.

You don't HAVE to embarrass yourself though. At no point of a learning/failure process do you need to be embarrassed.
 

granfire

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Going back to the OP, I think there is something to be said of putting aside your ego when learning something new. Also, that something worth learning is usually worth doing badly at first while learning (meaning you aren't going to be good right off the bat on something complex)

Let's use the example of riding a bicycle. I'm not aware of anyone who, as a child, was able to hop on a bike without training wheels and start riding it around without falling. Being a child, you don't have an ego and you keep learning and you keep falling until you get it right. Think of an adult trying to learn a new task. Many times the ego is over involved and can't accept not being good at something, so the failure leads to embarrassment.

You don't HAVE to embarrass yourself though. At no point of a learning/failure process do you need to be embarrassed.
It's probably a matter of 'don't take yourself too serious'
Then you won't get as easily embarrassed...
 

Steve

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Ego isn't necessarily destructive. It's inflated ego, where your self image is out of sync with your ability, that things go awry. Personally, ego is just another way of saying self-esteem, and often embarrassment is a product of low self esteem. Imposter syndrome or just fear of failure leads to embarrassment or a desire to avoid being embarrassed. I think that's just as likely to be the culprit than overly inflated ego and lack of humility.
 
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PhotonGuy

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Put it this way, I will do what I've got to do even if I embarrass myself by doing it.
 

JowGaWolf

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Sometimes you've got to embarrass yourself if you want to learn and progress since sometimes by embarrassing yourself, or at least taking the risk of doing so, is the only way to learn and progress.
Nothing to be embarrassed about if you are learning. If you are learning then people should understand that you aren't going to be perfect.
 
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PhotonGuy

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Nothing to be embarrassed about if you are learning. If you are learning then people should understand that you aren't going to be perfect.
Sometimes I do feel embarrassed even if I know Im learning, that's just the price.
 
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PhotonGuy

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Lets say there's this girl I like. Now, I want to ask her out. By asking her out Im taking the risk of her saying no which might result in me being embarrassed but in my opinion its better to try, its better to ask her out and for her to say no and for me to be embarrassed as a result, than for me to not even try, for me to not ask her out at all.
 

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