There are really just a few important things to remember that I believe answer your question.
1) BE LEGAL - Get your fuckin card. If you don't live in a place where you can grow medical marijuana, don't fuckin grow marijuana. Some people disagree, but thats my stance. If you care about your life and you have people that care about you, it is not worth it. Period.
2) Pick a Good Spot - If you're growin at your house, pick a spot well protected from the view of unfriendly neighbors, square ass police-friendly landlords, and curious passers-by. If you're doin it guerilla style, pick a spot as far back in the brush as you can that still gets good light, try not to take the exact same path back to your plot, don't leave trash or other bright shit around and try not to go to your plot every day. Make sure your plants have plenty of room to go without being seen. Tie the beasts down low if necessary.
3) Don't Be Greedy - Dont germ 100 seeds or waste money on 50 clones and get your hopes up with dreams of a field of weed only to get robbed or busted. Grow the right amound of plants for the area you've got to work with. Worry more about starting with good genetics and growing each and every plant right than having a shit load of plants or having big huge monsters. The fact that less plants = more stealth cannot be denied.
4) Stick to the Basics - Fundamentals: Soil, genetics, nutrients, love. The best weed I have ever smoked was most certainly not grown with molasses or Pure Madagascar Bat Guano or any other weird shit...it was grown following the principles contained in those 4 fundamental aspects.
5) Ask For Help When You Need It - You dont have to go it alone, RIU is here for you. Utilize the massive knowledge base here at RIU (and if you think about it, massive doesn't even begin to describe the vast copendium of collective weed-related experience of the membership of this website). Utilize it early and often.
6) DONT TELL PEOPLE - This should be every pot growers motto. The more people you tell, the more of a chance you will get in some kind of trouble. I don't care if its your fuckin grandpa or your dentist or your best friend of 20 years, more people knowing about your crop = more of a likelyhood you will experience some sort of a situation, PERIOD. (Note: While this point is of extreme importance, I still feel that being legal is a bigger priority. If you're legal and you get into some kind of trouble, you have the law to fall back on. If you are in the wrong and a situation arises, you gotta nut up and handle it yourself).
Well thats just about it. Hope I was able to help somewhat. Good luck with all future endeavors and I wish you the best. Peace everybody.