You are Going to Embarrass Yourself.

So relax.

And enjoy it.

I actually don't buy in to the "if your product doesn't embarrass your team, you've launched too late" idea.

I'm much more accustomed to the accidental, un-intentional embarrassment that inevitably arises EVEN when you've waited to work out the kinks - and double check the details.

It matters not. In the fullness of time - and with the benefit of hindsight, the early version - is still going to suck.

Write it anyway.

Make it anyway.

Launch it anyway.

Because life is short.

And if you're perpetually aiming, thinking, planning, aiming, ruminating, planning, strategizing, ruminating, and endlessly aiming yet again - you're simply pretending.

Play acting.

And lying to yourself - and everyone around you.

To be an author - and artist - and an entrepreneur - at any level, you've got to "ship" something.

Launch something.

You’ve got to build something that actually sees the light of day.

Something that's subject to scorn - eye rolling - criticism or condemnation.

If you're not doing that - right now - if you're still talking about the project you conceptualized back in 2014 - but has never seen the light of day - my best advice is - decide to embarrass yourself.

Or don't.

But simply decide to do something.

The past matters not.

Right now - in this very moment, commit.

And then - just make something that matters.

To you - to your community - to your family - to your future.

And ultimately.....win or lose - transforms your sense of who you are in the world.

I know, the impulse is powerful.

To perfect.

To refine.

To redefine and re-write.

But take it from me….. Don't wait.

Because if you wait another week, you'll wait another month.

And if you wait another month - you minus well not wait at all.

Because we both know you're not going to follow through - yet again.

I say this not to be mean - but to keep it real.

And to remind myself, that thinking, and scheming, and and learning, and posturing and planning isn’t shipping.

It’s excuse making.

I published a short book called "Flow" a bunch of years ago. It was very personal, and sort of captured my moods and meditations as I traveled around as a bit of a digital nomad....after a series of bad breakups. (both personally and professionally)

I was nervous about publishing it - simply because, I didn't want to embarrass myself.

The first 20 or 25 reviews were really, really good, but that's mostly because they were subscribers and clients and even strangers who already liked my words - and my work.

One day I got a random, bad review.

Which surprised me - and stung more than I expected.

And I felt myself retreating into that - "Am I going to embarrass myself?" endless abyss and unhealthy mental space where shame showed up, took a bow and captured center stage.

Is it ready?

Am I ready>

Do I deserve the credit - the kudos - and the community I know this book will bring?

Maybe I don’t want prying eyes into the private space that’s the only true thing I really own.

A few days later - some guy left a 1 star review that ended with (and I'm paraphrasing, but it's pretty close ;-)

" I felt like I needed a shower after reading this."

Suddenly - the sting, stung again.

I felt exposed. It was a beautiful day. And I was in a beautiful place doing work that I loved - with people that I loved.

And yet - when I saw that review - under my name - under my work - I panicked. I packed up my stuff, sprinted the 1/2 mile home - and removed the book from Amazon- where it remains, unpublished, as I write this in May of 2024.

After all - I had embarrassed myself.

And the only sane remedy for a creative soul like you and me - was to retreat and reconsider.

A few days ago, in that strange serendipitous way the universe conspires to confound us and gently nudge us in the direction of our dreams - I got a message from a stranger who read the book that was incredibly flattering - and strangely motivating.

And I decided.

I'm republishing that book in July.

Not to embarrass myself.

But to be kind to myself.

And partly, I guess - because if i’m trying to build a tiny book publishing company, I need more stuff on my writing resume.

But also as a reminder.

That life is short.

And if I want to do great things:

Perfection is never on offer.

And hiding ain't an option.

So decide.

Commit.

Begin.

And I promise, the winds of courage and commitment will always be at your back.

Ira Glass and What Every Successful Person Knows, but Never Says

Paul Graham • Early Work