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From Desperation to Dedication: The Strength to Believe by: Troy Evans For over 15 years, Troy Evans pursued a career as a self-employed Addict, Drug Dealer, Gambler and Thief. Evans risked his life and sacrificed his family to satisfy his need for money, attention and independence. Ultimately, his disregard of values and discipline resulted in a 13 year Federal Prison sentence. Following a six-month crime spree, which included five armed bank robberies in three states, Evans' self-destructive lifestyle was brought to an end. He soon found himself within the razor wire and armed confines of the Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colorado where his neighbors included such notorious criminals as Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Facing the obstacles, pressures and violence of prison life, Evans was determined that his time behind bars would not be wasted. He chose Education as his saving grace, despite the elimination of Federal Pell Grants for the incarcerated. Undeterred, Evans set out to secure funding on his own through scholarships, grants and foundation assistance. After six months of submitting applications, writing essays, begging, pleading and selling, Evans landed his first scholarship for one class. That was a beginning, and when Evans walked out the doors of prison, he carried with him two degrees, both obtained with a 4.0 GPA and placement on the Dean's and President's List. Since his release, Evans has taken the Corporate, Association and Education speaking platforms by storm. Audiences are stunned by his endurance, accomplishments and remarkable personal transformation. With straightforward, real life examples, Evans shows how the keys to his success in prison are the keys to his success today, and how these lessons can be applied to escaping the 'prisons within ourselves'¯. He renews an appreciation for what is really important in all of our lives and motivates each and every person to overcome adversity, adapt to change, and to realize their full potential. PROGRAMS The Strength To Believe In today's ever-changing world, the emotional drain can be intense and disillusionment can lurk around every corner. Troy Evans' story serves as an example of what happens when your professionals have the strength to believe. Audience members will walk away with real insight into overcoming adversity, adapting to change, and pushing themselves to realize their full potential. The Prison Inside You While serving seven and a half years in prison, Troy Evans learned that the most confining prison walls are not made of bricks and bars but rather hopelessness, fear and self-doubt. Troy began building his walls more than a decade before his arrest. It was only after he was imprisoned behind real bars that Troy used the time for self-reflection and developed the tools and self-discipline he needed to tear down his internal prison. Only then was he able to become a better father, a better son, and now, a highly sought-after inspirational speaker. Playing On The Most Important Team While Troy Evans gave up baseball for drugs years ago, his hardships have given him a chance to play on the most important team of all '“ the team of humanity. Looking back, Troy remembers the coaches who encouraged him, the teacher who tried to save him, and the family who had faith in him. His story reminds us all that we are guardians of our future generations and caretakers of our society by showing us the effects that just a few people had on a boy, a criminal, and a man. About The Author © Troy D. Evans, 2004 Troy Evans is a professional speaker and author who resides in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Pam and his dog Archibald. Troy travels the country delivering keynote presentations, and since his release from prison has taken the corporate and association platforms by storm. Overcoming adversity, adapting to change and pushing yourself to realize your full potential. Other speaker's talk about these issues, Troy has walked them. The Evans Group 3104 E. Camelback Road, #436 Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-265-6855 Fax: 602-285-1474 troy@troyevans.com www.troyevans.com This article was posted on February '13
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