Fear of looking stupid keeps more people stupid than anything else.

The cost of avoiding embarrassment is paid in knowledge. Not asking the question, not trying the thing in front of people, not admitting you are lost, all keep you looking competent in the short term and leave the gap exactly where it was. The fear of appearing foolish is remarkably good at producing the condition it is protecting against.

Spend one visible moment this week being obviously new at something. Ask in front of the group, try the thing you are bad at where people can see. It is thirty seconds of discomfort against a permanent piece of knowledge, which is not a close call.