Having said that I still get antsy when I withold my secrets but after all they were hard won and it just seems right to keep it to myself. Now the other type of secret is the one that someone asks you not share. If someone gives me a real nugget with the stipulation that it is not shared I am comfortable not sharing it.
I also hold back a few tricks and tools from students for a couple of reasons, firstly, if you show a student how to treat nodes with an Abbott press you really are telling him to go buy one which is not fair to a student. It is expensive enough to start without the extra accoutrements. Secondly, I think the journey is best learned with a few bumps and breakdowns on the road, that is called learning. If a student calls back with a specific inquiry then you can offer v2.0 of the program, a live update so to speak.
I have fewer secrets than I thought and a few killer contacts to discuss the occasional foible but your secret is safe with me, I promise.