John Carpenter’s The Thing is terrifying for a lot of reasons. Besides the awesome practical effects and horrific creature design, the film centers on an alien entity that basically can assimilate any creature and take its form. It’s the ultimate predatory shapeshifter. 

And ignoring the fact that it eats people, the Thing is a creature that has the ultimate evolutionary defense of blending in with its surroundings. It has realized that in a kill-or-be-killed world, that hiding your vulnerabilities is the key to survival. 

However, in a world that is increasingly dependent on collaboration, cooperation, and trust, being vulnerable is actually an advantage. The quickest way of earning trust is by extending it, and by building trust, you’re developing a modern competitive advantage. 

So you can embrace the old ways of holding your cards close to your chest, or you can look at what it means to be yourself and share that with the world. The first option is living like someone else, full of fear of being found out. The second is freeing, powerful, and much more fulfilling. 

The choice is up to you.