instructor Hood's Key Ideas from Becoming Bulletproof
by Evy Poumpouras

“If you must fight, then fight.”

Instead of throwing a punch, draw on these layers of knowledge: 

• “Harnessing fear” – Managing your fears doesn’t always mean overcoming them. Instead, make them work for you
• “Mental armor” – This is your internal protection against other people’s bullying words or threatening behaviors
• “The Secret Service mind-set” – Prepare yourself, mentally and physically, for events that could paralyze you with fear

• “Bulletproof your life” – Your home should have exterior lighting to discourage intruders. Keep your doors and windows free of shrubbery criminals could hide behind. Install good locks. Dead-bolt your doors. Carry as few credit cards, identification cards and insurance cards as you can to minimize the hassle and exposure if someone steals your wallet. To avoid identity theft, minimize the number of websites on which you enter your birth date. To protect your children, don’t post information about them online. 

“To him who is in fear, everything rustles. (Sophocles) ”

Remember these tips to protect yourself from falsehoods:

• “Everybody lies” – Accept the fact that every person lies. Many do so repeatedly. Typical individuals lie, on average, once or twice a day. In a single conversation, the average person will lie one to 10 times.
• “Reading people” – Become an avid student of body language, which can reveal what people are thinking. When people worry that others may know they’re lying, their jaws may clench, they may fidget, or they may put their hands over their mouths when they speak.

• “How people read you” – Consider how terrific the newscasters on TV look: perfect clothes, great posture, big smiles and every hair in place. 
• “What are they really saying” – Occasionally, people’s words have nothing to do with what they want to communicate. Listen for clues. For example, phrasing like, “As I’m sure you’re aware…” is a signal to work hard to understand the speaker’s message.

Never expect to have a perfect radar for deception; no one does – not even an experienced polygraph expert. 

“Heroism is quiet. It isn’t about bravado or being the biggest or the strongest. It isn’t about firing guns or being awarded medals. It’s about what’s in your heart and mind and spirit.”

To influence others, consider these tips:

• “How to influence” – Your words are your most potent weapons. Most people speak carelessly and choose their words without forethought
• “Undivided attention” – People who came to former US President Bill Clinton’s rallies loved him. While on duty with the Secret Service duties, Poumpouras saw first-hand how much Clinton’s people cared about him. Clinton made each person he talked with feel like the only person in the world. To win people over, give them your undivided attention. 

“We are never done with fear. Whenever you think you’ve conquered one fear, there will always be another to take its place.”

Despite her fears, Poumpouras stayed strong amid the frightening rubble, haze and fire. She helped stunned and bloody victims survive.

“In the end, when it’s over, all that matters is what you’ve done.” (Alexander the Great)