Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly

by Evy Poumpouras

Why wait for things to go really wrong before deciding to pack up and go? We knew that if we hung around any longer than necessary, two things would inevitably happen: 1) it would encourage further and possibly bolder attacks, and 2) it would make our eventual departure even more dangerous or difficult. Get off the X means keep moving for your survival and well-being. Get out of the area of danger. Adjust. Pivot. Because when you stay static—that is, when you remain in a bad situation—you will get hurt. And what many people don’t realize is that removing yourself from a bad environment actually helps deescalate a situation before things get really bad. So the next time you get the feeling that the conversation or mood in the room is turning against you, I want you to think about immediately removing yourself from the scene. There is no shame in leaving. In fact, leaving will save you the shame you’ll probably end up feeling by staying put and taking it.