Typically, when we think about feeling embarrassed it’s in relation to the present. But instead of thinking about what would be potentially embarrassing today, what if we thought about which decisions, or lack thereof, would be embarrassing twenty years from now?

Because it’s possible that that the things that seem embarrassing in the short-term will be seen quite differently in hindsight. In fact, what’s stretching or awkward or embarrassing today could turn out to be quite valuable in the long run. It’s also possible that years from now we might look back with embarrassment and regret at all the things we did or did not do today, because we were compulsively avoiding anything that made us uncomfortable.

If something would prove to be embarrassing both now and in the long-run, that’s an important warning sign. But if, in the long-run, the embarrassment disappears and there’s value to be had, perhaps it’s time to reconsider why we’re avoiding it. Better to endure a little embarrassment now and reap the benefits later, than to avoid it today and, as a result, experience it down the road.