I was at a dinner party with a group of incredible women when someone pulled out a deck of conversation cards—the kind meant to spark deeper discussions beyond the usual small talk. One of the questions was:
“Describe one of your most embarrassing moments.”
We all took turns answering, sharing stories of public mishaps, wardrobe malfunctions, and awkward encounters. When it was my turn, I sat there, searching my memory. And then it hit me:
I don’t have any.
know that sounds preposterous, but the truth is, I don’t get embarrassed—like, at all. I have a weird glitch in my personality where I just don’t care if I look ridiculous. I do dumb things all the time—things that would make a normal person’s face turn beet red—but I genuinely don’t experience that feeling.
Take this recent gem:
I was delivering a keynote in the Dominican Republic to an audience that didn’t speak English. They wore headsets while translators worked their magic in real time.
Before I took the stage, I heard my name in the middle of a Spanish introduction and assumed it was my cue. So, naturally, I ran onto the stage and started talking.
Except…it wasn’t my cue.
A woman stood at the podium, mid-sentence, trying to introduce me. I didn’t see her. The audience erupted with laughter—not because I’d said anything remotely funny, but because I had literally bulldozed my own introduction.
A translator finally cut in to tell me what was happening. I looked over, saw the poor woman at the mic, and instantly realized what I had done. I should have been mortified. Instead, I lost it.
I doubled over laughing. The audience kept laughing. The woman finally introduced me (I think), and when it was my turn—again—I could barely begin because I was still laughing so hard.
And you know what? It was fine. Better than fine, actually. It broke the ice.
Embarrassment vs. Humiliation
Not all cringe-worthy moments are created equal. There’s a big difference between embarrassment and humiliation—and understanding that difference is a game-changer.
Embarrassment is when you trip in public, say something dumb in a meeting, or start a keynote at the wrong time (been there). It’s fleeting. It stings, but it passes because deep down, you know it doesn’t define you.
Humiliation, on the other hand, cuts deeper. It’s when someone deliberately tries to tear you down, make you feel small, or strip you of dignity. Embarrassment is tripping on the sidewalk; humiliation is someone pushing you down and laughing at you. One is a momentary slip-up, the other is an attack on your self-worth.
You can laugh off embarrassment, but humiliation demands boundaries. You don’t have to accept someone else’s attempt to diminish you. The power move? Own your mistakes, but never let anyone convince you they define you. The topic for humiliation is for another day.
The Secret to Never Feeling Embarrassed
I think I know where my immunity to embarrassment comes from. My dad used to say:
“You can’t hear anyone laughing at you if you’re laughing at yourself the loudest.”
As a kid, I didn’t fully get it. As an adult, I think it might be a legit superpower.
Because let’s be honest:
The fear of embarrassment holds people back more than failure ever will.
It’s why we stay on the sidelines instead of getting on the dance floor, even when we really want to dance.
It’s why we don’t ask questions when we don’t know what the hell we’re doing—we’d rather fake confidence than risk looking dumb.
It’s why we don’t start the thing, launch the idea, speak up in the meeting, or step outside of our comfort zones—because someone might judge.
It might seem counterintuitive, but there is an upside to doing or saying something stupid. Psychologist Elliot Aronson coined something called the “pratfall effect,” which basically proves that messing up can make you more likable. If people already see you as competent, a well-placed blunder actually makes you more relatable. It humanizes you. People connect more with those who aren’t afraid to show their imperfections. So, the takeaway? Be good at what you do, but don’t be afraid to be a little messy along the way. Owning your awkward moments doesn’t just free you—it draws people in.
F*ck the Fear of Judgment
People will criticize you for your successes.
They will criticize you for your failures.
They will criticize you for acting.
They will criticize you for not acting.
So, what’s left? Doing whatever the hell you want anyway.
The truth is, we’re all walking around as fallible, imperfect human beings, doing and saying stupid things on a regular basis. It’s part of the deal. The more we embrace this reality, the more we free ourselves from the suffocating fear of judgment. And something incredible happens when we do: we give others permission to do the same. When you own your awkward moments instead of letting them own you, you create space for others to step outside their own self-imposed limits. That’s the essence of the human experience—learning, laughing, and giving each other grace.
So stop trying to outrun imperfection. Instead, lean into it, laugh at it, and let it be the thing that sets you free.
Onward and upward, my fellow disrupters.
Kristen
You can watch us discuss this blog on the Disrupter’s Creed Podcast:
