Sipping dark tea. Staring at the screen.
Being the smartest person in the room sounds great – until you realize it’s a trap.

Would you want to be?

The other day, I listened to Mel Robbins interview Evy Poumpouras, a former Secret Service agent. She talked about self-growth, discipline, and how to get ahead – without getting ahead of yourself.

One word: humble.

I like her approach. If she were to have one goal and one goal only, it would be to be of service.
Being of service to someone, or even wanting to be, is rare.

Disclaimer: I’m not making preconceptions about people based on one source, I write about what I observed. We can’t know how someone behaves in reality.

We all want to take something as quickly as possible, for as much money as possible.

So when I heard that approach, I was immediately more hooked than I already was.

Mel Robbins asked her how she’d feel being the smartest person in the room, and she said something like, I would feel terrified. I would find a way to get out as soon as possible.

I want to analyze this statement from two perspectives:
– as a life lesson
– as a content creation technique

So first of all, why did it get my attention and instant respect?
Because she didn’t ask for anything—she wanted to give.

Have you heard of the universe’s unwritten law that takes away from you the things you most want?

I did, and I would dare to say it’s real.

Have you ever noticed how the people who seem to want the least end up getting the most?
They don’t chase – they attract. That’s what true service does.

They embody satisfaction and receive the same thing in return – satisfaction.

What I got from that line was that she wasn’t afraid to work hard. She wasn’t afraid of compromise. She wasn’t unreliable. 

If I had to describe her in one word, it would be… grounded.

Another thing I heard her say was that she never once asked what her paycheck was. I know, I know – highly unrealistic nowadays. But still, she was in a line of business where you could roughly estimate your salary. She was more interested in developing her skills than in money.

Life lesson: Your only job is to focus on what you give. No matter the paycheck. No matter the time.
Treat your work as you treat yourself—your skin, your body, your mind. With care.

After all, your work is your agent. Your agent is not you, but it represents you.

From a content creation perspective, I must say there are a lot of elements Evy mentions that are strategic and well thought out. She wasn’t a secret agent for nothing.

We are all selfish creatures. No matter how highly we think of ourselves, when the cookie hits the fan, we are all splashed with chocolate head to toe.

And by that, I mean – when things get rough, we immediately think of ourselves first.

It’s natural and instinctual. But when we see or hear about a person who wants to be of service and share her teachings with the world, we flip the coin and listen a little longer.

“It sounds like you are a selfless person,” your mind might blabber.
And you know that’s rare.

See how that’s a huge attention grabber?

We live in a world where everyone wants something from you.

But the ones who stand out?

They’re the ones who give first. That’s why Evy’s words hit hard.
And why, when you create content, focusing on service – not just selling – grabs attention and builds trust.