The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.

Protection does not come from withdrawal but from understanding how things actually work. Naivety is what leaves people exposed, and no amount of good intention substitutes for knowing what people want, how money moves, and what happens when agreements go wrong. That knowledge is not cynicism, it is what lets you stay decent without being easily used. You cannot defend against a world you have refused to look at.

Find the area where you rely on others because you never learned the basics yourself, whether that is a contract, a tax return, or how your own industry actually pays. Spend a few hours this month closing the gap.