You’re performing for an audience that mostly isn’t there. Everyone’s busy starring in their own show.

Most people are too occupied with their own performance to be scoring yours. The embarrassing moment you keep replaying from last month registered for a second with everyone else, if at all, and was replaced by their own version of the same worry. The spotlight you feel is largely self-generated.

Test that this week by doing something mildly embarrassing on purpose. Ask the question, wear the thing, take the wrong turn out loud. Then count how many people actually mention it afterward, which is usually none.