Next up on the Vokai tribe is Jason Linden, one of two personal injury lawyers this season. The 32-year-old New Yorker feels his life experience has made him perfect for Survivor, interacting with hundreds of clients from all walks of life. He even made his own “big move” in striking out and starting his own law firm seven years ago. And though he’s keeping his job secret from his competitors, he’s planning to show his true colors to the rest of the purple tribe. Jason’s also a self-admitted talker, and suffice it to say he had a lot to say about his game plan.

Read on for my interview with Jason, and make sure to this season’s contestants every day for interviews with this season’s contestants and other on-set tidbits. Survivor: Island of the Idols premieres on September 25 with a special 90-minute premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor Season 39

Tell me about yourself.

I’m 32 years old from New York. I’m married to my wife Alexa. I’m a personal injury lawyer and “disguised dork.” I started working in personal injury when I was still in law school back in 2011. I’ve been practicing law since 2012. Halfway through law school, personal injury is the law I know best. That’s my specialty.

Two years ago, I started my own firm. I was working for a big firm, with about thirty attorneys. I was the low man on the totem pole; they were hiring men in their 40s and 50s who were partners in failed firms. I was like, “If everybody’s being hired over me, what am I working towards?” I became increasingly unhappy there, then I thought, “If I did this for myself, I’d be a lot happier.” I put in six months’ notice and eventually started my own firm.

What was the process like to start such a new venture?

I left my old firm on such a good note. When I left, I still worked for them on a per diem basis. So they were still paying me while I was starting off on my own. The first year was really tough because you get paid on a contingency basis. But I was getting some supplemental income because I kept such a good relationship with them. I didn’t steal any files or clients. The way I played it with them was the perfect way to transition.

So what you went through was essentially a firm version of changing alliances.

I live the game of Survivor every single day. My clients range from people on Wall Street to people living in their car. There’s no discrimination based on who can be injured, so my target market is anybody. I’m really used to dealing with all types of people. Different races, different socioeconomic classes. Ultimately, it comes down to one thing: I need to get them to trust me. That’s the common theme with all my clients. “I’m not trying to screw you over. Trust me.” I’ve been able to do that successfully with hundreds of people throughout my career.

What brought you from the concrete jungle to the jungles of Fiji?

First off, I’m a huge fan of the show, but I feel like everyone here is. If you’re not, I don’t know what you’re doing here. I watched the beginning, then I had a hiatus. I got back into it around Blood vs. Water. I’m 32 and on the precipice of “full adulthood.” And I always want to challenge myself. Throughout my life, I’ve done things in a strange way. That’s the way I’ve been most successful, by figuring out how to do it myself. I love to push myself, test my limits, and learn something new. What better way to do that than to come out here and live on an island for 39 days?

I want to go back to calling yourself a “disguised dork.” Can you elaborate on that?

If you were to ask me who my personality is most like from former players, it would be a Cochran or Stephen Fishbach. I have a ton of neuroses. I carry hand sanitizer wherever I go. When I’m on the subway, I’m the guy who’s either leaned up against the door or riding the rails and not touching any bars. I have my own anxieties about things. On the surface, I come off as calm, cool, and collected. But realistically, I’m overthinking. I let things play out a million times in my head. Additionally, I like nerdy things. I’m on the Reddit boards for Survivor; I like some nerdy television. I’m comfortable with myself. Sometimes I spend two and a half hours going down Wikipedia holes and reading about castles. (Laughs.)

On that note, what do you think people are going to perceive you as?

I think the perception of me is going to be my biggest barrier. Even getting onto the show, that was an Achilles heel. When I sent in my video, people from the northeast got me. But one person who really didn’t get me was Jeff. (Laughs.) He wasn’t sure. The issue is that I’m a Jewish personal injury attorney from New York. It’s not the most likable type of personality. Being a personal injury attorney is linked to ambulance chasers and being slimy.

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So are you going to tell people what you do?

Hell no. (Laughs.) Nick Wilson won the last season we saw, and that really hurt me. And everyone is going to associate being a personal injury lawyer with negative things. The guys are all huge. I was working out before I came and I thought, “Am I getting too big?” My wife said, “That’s not going to be a problem.” (Laughs.) If I come in as one of the smaller guys and say I’m a personal injury attorney, it’s going to come off “snakey.” That’s not what I’m trying to play.

I’m taking my wife’s job. She’s a licensing manager for an umbrella manufacturing company. It’s my dinnertime conversation every single day. I’m not going to tell them that the company is my wife’s family business. But I hear about the problems every day. I know about the processes. If somebody asks me questions, I can generally give an answer. Although yesterday one of the producers stumped me on sales stuff. But I’ll just say I’m more involved with the manufacturing process.

What line will you not cross morally in the game?

I have no lines. I’m here to win. I’m not here to make friends; I have friends and family at home. If I hurt somebody’s feelings, I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry for what I did. I think that’s the way the game should be played. I’ll respect if someone cuts my throat. I think some people take things too emotionally. I’m not coming in here with lines. Lines put you in a box. I’m coming out here to play this game as hard as I can. But my way of playing hard isn’t to be a leader like Boston Rob. That’s not my personality. It’s to play within the confines of myself.

Give me a Survivor winner and non-winner you want to play like.

I look like Rob Cesternino, which everybody says. The funny thing is that he’s from Long Island too, in a similar town to where I come from. I really like Adam Klein. I think he and I have similar upbringings. He didn’t play the Type A “macho” game, which I also can’t play with these people. I have to play a social game where people come to me and give me information. As for a non-winner, it’s probably Stephen Fishbach. Again, it’s that nerdiness and anxiety. I think I’m better equipped to handle the elements that he did his first time out. It’s yet to be seen if I can break a stick. I have a lot of worries that I saw him play with. I do think when he played in Cambodia, he was a little more cool, mellow Fishbach. But a lot of the worries and neuroses I saw in myself too.

Are you going to try to push down those neuroses, or adapt them into your strategy?

Something a lot of winners and successful players have in common is that they’re genuine. I’m coming out here and I’m going to be genuine. People are smart enough at this point to read through bull [expletive]. I can come out here and say, “I’m a decision-maker at home. I run my own firm. I control my life and live how I want.” But I can’t be out here with a guy who looks like he’s a Navy general and boss him around. My goal is to be genuine, vulnerable at times, and honest. If I’m worried about something, I’m going to ask, “Can we talk through this again?” You have to trust someone at some point. It’s going to be difficult to do, but at one point you have to eventually trust somebody, even if it’s for just one vote.

What else is part of your game plan going in?

The guys I saw getting here changed my plan. Survivor has become a war of attrition at this point. You have the weak people getting voted out first, then all the big guys gunning for each other. My plan is to come out saying, “Eliminate the weak. Let’s keep the tribe strong.” I’m going to tell the big guys, “I’m not going to vote against you, because then we’ll lose challenges.” I’ll be totally transparent. Then when we get to the merge and there are all these big, athletic people left, I’ll sprinkle a little seasoning, sit back, and watch.

There’ll still be manipulation going on. But if there are huge targets around, they’re going to go after each other. It’s like Littlefinger in Game of Thrones. “Chaos is a ladder.” (Laughs.) I’m looking for stability in the game. But I know if there are twelve people at the merge, and nine of them are athletic, they’re going to be gunning for each other. And I’ll be sitting on the sidelines.

When you’re at your lowest low, what’s one memory you’ll pull from to boost your spirits?

When I’m in bed with my wife, she says, “Let’s just look at each other.” We both roll onto the sides of our pillows and look at each other with our dog between us. We stare at each other for 30 seconds. It sounds a little weird, but you gain strength knowing there’s somebody on the journey with you. I like to know that she’s rooting for me and I’m not just playing for myself. It’s not about money; it’s more about pride.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Survivor Season 39

Speaking of family, you wrote in your bio you were inspired by your dad’s optimism. Can you elaborate on that?

My dad is the most well-liked person I’ve seen in my life. Which is crazy, because I’m not the most well-liked person. (Laughs.) Everyone loves my dad everywhere I go. He has this outlook on life where he’s always smiling, he’s always jolly. What makes him happy is his family, his grandchildren, his work, and playing sports three nights a week. He can never buy a nice pair of sneakers or go on a vacation, and he’s totally fine about it. He’s someone you can’t get mad it, a huge teddy bear. I’m trying to channel him out here. I want to be the one everyone loves–not too much, because I don’t want to be a threat. He’s somebody who’s special and influential.

Which is more important to your game: Strategy or social?

Social. First off, I like to talk. My wife knows me best at this stage in my life. She’s usually pretty good at picking winners. She told me, “You know, you do have a chance. But here are the things that will be your Achilles heel in the game.” I can get a little snappy at times, I can talk too much, I can take too much of a leadership role. One of my goals coming in is what we’re calling the “Shut the [Expletive] Up” strategy. It entails not being the leader, sitting back a little bit, not being first for anything. Being nice, but not too nice. Being helpful with the shelter, but not too helpful. I think if I can follow the “Shut the [Expletive] Up” strategy and get past the first two or three votes, I can do pretty well in the game.

Then I’ll turn on the strategy even more. We’re in the “Big Moves” era. Everybody is egging you on to make the big move. And I get it because it’s fantastic television. But I once heard Tyson say, “Survivor is a game of a bunch of really small moves, then one big move, then playing defense. When you make that big move, keep in mind after you do that, you’re going to play defense the rest of the time. The later you can make that big move, the better. You just don’t want it to be too late.” I found that very interesting. People are going to come out here with guns blazing. But if you really want to win the game, that’s a good strategy to have. A bunch of small moves, one big move, and play defense.

If you could bring one celebrity or fictional character out as your loved one, who would you pick?

The entire band Phish. (Laughs.) I would want a private show. I’d say, “Okay, guys. I think we should open with ‘Tweezer Reprise..'” People have misconceptions about Phish. They say, “Oh, every song sounds the same.” You haven’t listened to them! Are you kidding me?! They’re the best band in the world right now.

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