The Fool’s Advantage

Have you ever walked into a room full of strangers, knowing full well you’re about to embarrass yourself?

Maybe it was your first day at a new job, your first jiu jitsu class, or even trying karaoke for the first time.

Your heart pounds, your palms sweat, and the one thought repeating in your mind is:

“Don’t make a fool of yourself.”

Here’s the twist: looking foolish is the price of entry for mastery.

American author, George Leonard, in his book 'Mastery,' reminds us that learning anything of significance requires the willingness to stumble —sometimes publicly, sometimes painfully.

When a professional athlete slips in front of millions, their skill isn’t questioned.

They're on that stage because they fought for it. They worked for it.

Why, then, do we hold ourselves to a higher, impossible standard?

Think about learning a new language. You’ll mispronounce words, conjugate verbs incorrectly, and sound like a toddler.

But every awkward misstep brings you closer to fluency.

Or public speaking: your first few attempts might feel like standing butt-naked under a spotlight, but those shaky beginnings build the confidence and clarity that eventually captivate an audience.

In jiu jitsu, there’s no hiding from the truth.

Your skills, or lack thereof, are as plain as day for your training partners and coaches to see.

If you’re too proud to risk getting swept, submitted, or smashed, you’ll miss the lessons.

That sweep you avoided by muscling out of it? It could have taught you how to build better posture.

That submission you tapped to obnoxiously early? It could have shown you the importance of breathing under pressure.

This idea doesn’t stop at the mats. Think about everyday situations. Speaking up in a meeting at work when you’re not sure your idea is perfect. Striking up a conversation with the lovely stranger in line at the coffee shop, not knowing if it will land or fall flat. Cooking a new recipe and serving it to friends, knowing it might not turn out.

Each of these moments feels risky, but they’re also where growth lives.

Mastery doesn’t come from avoiding these moments; it’s born from embracing them.

Here’s the secret most people miss: the sooner you’re willing to look foolish, the faster you learn.

It’s not about humiliating yourself for the sake of it—it’s about letting go of the need to look perfect.

Those who cling to appearances often stagnate, trapped by their own fear of judgment.

Meanwhile, the “fools” are out there experimenting, failing, and quietly stacking small wins.

This week, I want you to try something.

Pick an area of your life where you’ve been holding back out of fear of looking bad.

Maybe it’s a technique in training, a skill at work, or even having a vulnerable conversation.

Then, lean into the discomfort.

Allow yourself to stumble.

Laugh about it.

And most importantly, learn from it.

Mastery isn’t a straight line, and it ain't pretty.

It’s messy, awkward, and humbling.

But if you are brave enough to be the fool,  it’s deeply rewarding.

So go ahead—fall on your face, mispronounce that word, miss that shot. Because every time you do, you’re taking one step closer.

And if you can’t get yourself to do it, because you are still too scared. 

Do it scared.

Stay humble. Stay curious. Stay on the path.

Own the Process, 

Tim 

Author of Mastery Monday

Student & Founder