From the archive

You didn't change your mind. You got scared

Fear of failure doesn't have to announce itself as fear. You don't need to sit there whispering that you're terrified. You can build an excellent argument, deliver it calmly, and get three friends to agree that you're making the mature choice. They might even be right. But their agreement doesn't answer the question you keep avoiding: if the embarrassment were removed, would you still want to do it?