How to Succeed Without Confidence, Motivation, or Healing | Evy Poumpouras | TEDxAthens

What if everything you thought you needed to succeed was wrong? What if the qualities we’ve been taught to chase—confidence, motivation, and healing—are actually holding us back? In this eye-opening TEDx talk, Evy Poumpouras draws on her life-or-death experiences as a Secret Service agent to share a radical new perspective on strength and resilience. With lessons from her career in the Secret Service and moments of profound vulnerability, she reveals why chasing confidence, avoiding fear, and waiting to heal can sabotage your growth. This talk offers a new framework for resilience—one built on action, clarity, and the ability to thrive despite uncertainty. Evy Poumpouras is multi-platform journalist and host who frequently appears on NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and ABC. She covers a wide range of topics, such as national security, law enforcement, personal protection, behavioral analysis, situational awareness, and how to live life fearlessly. Evy’s new book, BECOMING BULLETPROOF, was recently released via Simon & Schuster in 2020.

As a former Secret Service Special Agent, she was part of the protective details for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as former Presidents George W. Bush, William J. Clinton and George H. Bush. She worked complex criminal investigations and undercover operations, executed search and arrest warrants, and investigated both violent and financial crimes. Additionally, Evy was an interrogator for the agency’s elite polygraph unit and trained by the Department of Defense in the art and science of lie detection, human behavior, and cognitive influence.

Outside of her role as a journalist, Evy is a TEDx speaker and international advisor whose expertise is sought worldwide. She has been a keynote speaker for NASDAQ, SOCOM, Yankee Stadium Series, United Technologies, Corcoran Group, Tyco, Skanska, Red Door Spa, amongst many others. She is an Adjunct Professor for The City University of New York where she teaches criminal justice and criminology. Evy was also cast on CBS’s TV series “The Hunted” and appeared as an assessor on Bravo’s “Spy Games.”

Evy holds a Master of Science from Columbia University in Journalism, a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs from Hofstra University. She is also a former New York City Police Academy recruit, and a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Secret Service Academy, and the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute.

[saram]

Do it sad, do it scared, do it tired, do it unmotivated. Just do it.

[rebecca_stone]

This is how I remember TED talks used to be. She served straight-up awesomeness.

[yeebb]

1. You are not that special
2. You are not alone
3. Confidence is overrated
4. Motivation = mediocrity
5. You’re nobody’s prey
6. Your fear is not you
7. You don’t need to heal to be resilient

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This will definitely become a million views TedTalks. Very practical and encouraging.

[sagegraeve]

Damn I wasn’t expecting to cry at subway today but here I am, covered in crumbs and tears. Yet filled with sandwich and purpose ♡

[cyberovaries]

What a brilliant woman. She manages to do in a few minutes what so many self-proclaimed "life coaches" don't achieve in their entire career.
She is a force of nature and a true leader. All my respect goes out to you, Evy Poumpouras.

[markuswunsch]

Definitely, one of the best Ted talks!

[nuisance_i_am_a]

"I had no confidence in what I did. I did it anyways." I have no confidence if I'm allowed to live, I'm doing it anyways.

[mind_wealth-]

I have watched hundreds of self-help, motivational, and TED Talks YouTube videos to find one that would truly change my life. And yes, I randomly clicked on this one and discovered real, ultimate wisdom. The video is very on point and relatable. I’ve been stuck in a loop of confidence, motivation, fear, and everything in between for years. Thank you so much, @Evy Poumpouras and @TEDxAthens —you have made at least one person’s life better for sure. ❤

[FarhanKhanChaudhary]

Honestly, it breaks my heart how Manifest and Receive by Eva Hartley isn’t getting the attention it deserves. This book changed me. I saw the channel on youtube and my mind was blown. People need to wake up to this. Things have been flowing. money, peace, confidence. Maybe this is your moment too.

[yanis]

I love Evy Pompadouras. She is the freaking boss

[tania_]

Every time I watch this video, I end up in tears.
edit: This is the third time I have watched this video, after being rejected for a REU, I will try again with fear and unmotivated.

[Edsrodriguez-tnfn]

She’s one of those speakers you can’t help but watch and finish the video because of how she constantly grabs your attention with every word she speaks. I hope this video reaches millions of people who need to hear it. Anyway, my favorite part of this TED Talk speech is about confidence: you don’t need confidence to achieve anything. Constantly seeking confidence will only take you further away and waste too much of your time. I will surely bring this with me because I’m the type of person who constantly seeks confidence to do something, and just hearing these words has changed my perspective towards it. Thank u for this beautiful speech Mrs. Evy!

[Mods-yupm]

If you're reading this right now, I just want to say; I'm rooting for you. We’re strangers, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. I know what it’s like to feel like you're pushing a boulder uphill. I felt that way until I picked up Manifest and Receive by Eva Hartley I can’t explain it perfectly, but it changed my whole perspective. After checking it out on youtube and reading it things have been flowing—money, peace, confidence. maybe this is your moment too. Stay open. Wishing you more than you ever imagined✨

[nuisance_i_am_a]

"You will be able to withstand more and more and more, so that when your time comes, you will look back and say, I'm okay to go because I lived." Such a wonderful sentence. Thankyou Evy, thankyou TEDx. Also, the new style is impressive.

[PaulaDTozer]

Mobilization over motivation. Just get off your buns and get moving.
Labels are for clothing; they are not for people. Love this! I have created the saying, When I label me, I create me. It means, be careful what you declare that you are and what you are not, because you’ll become that.
This talk is absolute GOLD!
Thanks for the inspiration, Evy. You ROCK!

[faithellis]

"I am nobody's prey.' Thank you so so much Evy. I needed this right now.

[NevilleGoddardFiles]

So basically, waiting for confidence is just procrastination in disguise? Mind blown. 🙈 Anyone else guilty of this? 🤔

[gerardomoreno]

I’ve said it a thousand times, I don’t need motivation, what I need is discipline.

[Theoverthinker]

Take action, get more confidence, take bigger action, get bigger confidence.

[Sineadshineslight]

My motivation to keep going was my daughter. Since she died by suicide I have struggled with much of what you talk about. I agree with much of what you say though and will try and take it on board. Thankyou. I think I needed to hear this today