"Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your hands, just as you were instructed before. Then people who do not believe will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

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If I could only provide one piece of advice to you guys, this would be it. There is huge benefit to being "invisible" and living a lifestyle that doesn't draw unwanted attention.

  • Mind your own business. Don't involve yourself in others' affairs, even if you think you'll be a hero. Being the white knight in a fight can leave you brain damaged or in jail. Intervening in any situation that doesn't pertain to you just complicates your life. If needed, call the cops, and let them deal with sketchy situations. Be a background character, not a "hero."
  • Delete all social media and minimize your online presence. If you can Google your name and immediately find pictures/info about yourself, you're doing it wrong. No one should be able to track you with a simple search. LinkedIn, facebook, instagram, etc. The public doesn't need to know everything about you, and nothing good can come of that.
  • Don't be flashy and don't brag. If you drive nice cars or wear expensive watches you're painting a target on your back for malicious attention. Be mindful of the way you present yourself in public.
  • Keep your personal shit to yourself. If you need to talk about things to someone else, talk to a therapist. If you tell anyone anything, especially in a work environment or friend group, it's going to get out eventually. I've experienced this myself, and now I keep my mouth shut. Don't disclose financial info, medical info, family info--no one needs to or deserves to know about that stuff.

If you want to take this advice to the extreme, here are a few suggestions:

  • Legally change your name to something common, i.e. James Smith. There are a million James Smiths, no one can single you out.
  • Don't share your address with anyone aside from close friends and family. Don't invite strangers to your house for parties or events.
  • Change your phone number and email addresses every couple of years for a hard reset. This ensures that only people you know will be able to contact you.

Keep your head down, be private, and work hard. You'll live a good life if you do ✌🏼