Embrace being cringe.

Read time: 1 min 18 secs

A friend recently showed me a video of a young guy giving a motivational speech on YouTube.

Sure, it was over-the-top, but the message resonated with me.

My friend just smirked. “How cringe. Why is he talking to the camera like that? So embarrassing. Who does he think he is?”

I couldn’t help but respond. “Maybe it is cringe, but at least he’s trying. Isn’t it more cringe to sit here and criticize without ever putting yourself out there?”

It got me thinking about how obsessed we are with avoiding being “cringe.”

So many people hold back because they’re afraid to stand out, look weird, or be judged during those awkward early stages. Everyone wants to be "normal," but that keeps authenticity away.

When I started sharing my work online, it looked cringe. I had no audience, and my work wasn’t great. It still might seem cringe to some, and that’s fine, it means I’m growing.

This “too cool to care about making something” attitude people cling to is just a shield to avoid vulnerability and effort, but if you don’t embrace being cringe at first, you’ll never live a life true to yourself.

Think of the singer posting song covers, the founder grinding on a big idea, or the aspiring author sharing drafts online. They all risk judgment from “friends,” family, and strangers. “Who do they think they are?” Well, that’s the price of doing something remarkable with your short life.

Putting yourself out there, even unpolished, is how you improve. Sure, people might mock you. But keep going, one day, they’ll claim they always believed in you.

Unsuccessful haters see "cringe" as an obstacle between where they are and where they want to be.

Successful makers see it as a necessary fun step on their journey.

Today is a beautiful day to embrace being cringe.

Sincerely,

Ash Lamb

(308 of 500 words)

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