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Mind Spark #16 - Practice in Public: Why Cringe Is the Price of Growth

  • Writer: Shujian Zhang
    Shujian Zhang
  • Jul 12
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jul 12

Reflecting on a LinkedIn post from Steven Bartlett.


I came across a LinkedIn post (link) from Steven Bartlett the other day, and he made it into TIME100’s Top Influential Digital Voices. It’s a huge moment and not at all a surprise. I’ve been a big fan of his work, and his influence was a big part of why I started building my website here (post). But what stayed with me wasn’t the award. It was this line he wrote:

"Embarrassment is the price of entry."

That line hit me hard. Because it’s true, but rarely acknowledged. We often wait for the right time, the perfect version of ourselves, or some invisible badge of credibility before we begin. Whether it’s launching a new idea, speaking up, or sharing our thoughts publicly, we hesitate. Not because we lack potential, but because we fear judgment. We’re scared of what “Dave from work” might think. Or “Jenny from hometown.”


I’ve felt that hesitation, too. The internal voice whispering before posting something or doing something in public:

  • “Am I ready?”

  • “Is this even worth sharing?”

  • “Does this sound too self-important or self-boastful?”

  • “Will people think I’m trying too hard doing something useless?”


But looking back, every good thing I’ve done started with a moment of awkwardness.

The first presentation. The ice breaker at the Toastmasters meeting. The first post here. The first recorded talk. The first time I let myself sound unsure in front of others.


It’s uncomfortable, but it’s real. And often, that’s the beginning of something meaningful. That is the path to influence, mastery, and fulfillment, and it is paved with moments where we feel exposed, uncertain, or “not good enough.” That is the price we have to pay for growth. Because we learn and grow by talking in front of a large audience, by pressing record, by hitting publish, and by stepping forward, imperfectly but honestly.


We don’t need to be perfect. We need to be honest and willing to get better in front of others. I’ve come to believe that it’s far braver to “practice in public” than to wait in silence.


So today’s reminder to myself, and maybe to you, is this:

Don’t wait to be ready. Start now. The best time to do something is always now. 

Let the work speak louder than the fear. Don’t be a Dave. Be the person who claps.

Because one day, when we look back, we won’t regret the embarrassing start, we’ll regret the moments we never let ourselves begin.


Steven reminded us: our fear of being seen fumbling often costs us the life we could have lived. Thanks, Steven, for saying it out loud. You didn’t just make a list. You lit a path.

It helped me say something I’ve been meaning to write for a long time.






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