In an excellent interview in The Guardian Neil Gaiman reveals not only the proper time to wear a cowboy costume, but also the terrible advice his English teacher gave him when he was 13. I know I can relate to his story. To this day I feel the pull of trying to keep my head down and blend in. Don’t do it!

When I was 13 an English teacher took me aside and said: “Keep your head down. You know too much, you answer questions, you are going to be resented. Just try to blend in.” I spent the next five years desperately trying to blend in, trying not to be good at the things I was good at. It was appalling advice. Do not worry about keeping your head down. Raise your head up. Maybe they will shoot you, but they probably won’t.