Amazon From Desperation to Dedication: An Ex-Con's Lessons on Turning Failure into Success Category:  Inspirational Publisher: Benbella Books ISBN-10:  1933771097 Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 141 Copyright: Jan 1, 2006 Former Bank Robber turned Professional Speaker and Best Selling Author provides you with insight into overcoming adversity, adapting to change and pushing yourself to realize your full potential 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. Excerpt PREFACE Panty Hose and a Pistol “It is not important how we come to the events in our life. What is important is how we deal with those events.” Troy Evans Pantyhose and a pistol. I am sure that neither the Hanes Corporation nor Smith & Wesson ever intended for the two to be used within the same sentence, or as the title of this book’s preface. As a former bank robber, however, these were the tools of my trade. As a professional speaker, they continue to be today. When delivering a presentation on making life changes, I start by thanking the audience for their time, and letting them know that it is both my pleasure and my honor to be there with them to share my story. I then ask them to take a close look at my face. I explain that this is the face of a loving father. This is the face of a college graduate who earned both of his degrees with the highest academic honors. This is the face of a kind man, an honest man, a trustworthy man, and a man of his word. For humor, I throw in that this just may be the face of a man who could sit them down at their kitchen table and sell them a term life insurance policy. As the chuckles die down, I again ask them to take a close look at this face. I then turn my back to the audience, pull pantyhose over my head and turn back around while leveling a replica of a semiautomatic pistol in their direction. I then ask them to take a look at my face again. This is the face of a man who, on March 20, 1992, walked into the First Tier National Bank, pointed a semiautomatic pistol at the face of the teller, and demanded all of the twenties, fifties, and hundreds—my first of five armed bank robberies committed over a six-month crime spree. Again, I ask them to please take a close look at my face. In my life, I have worn both faces. The transformation between the two—suicidal, drug-addicted, bank robber to what I am today —took place gradually over 7 1/2 years within the confines of a federal prison. I use this opening because it grabs my audience by the throat. Surely the clean-cut, suit-sporting, accountant-like man standing before them would be more likely to pull out a flip chart than a deadly weapon, right? After all, my introduction paints a picture of an all-American boy whose academic credentials have placed him on both the Dean’s and President’s List. But, I do it because I need their attention. I do it because, if I can meet every set of eyes while I am telling my story, and if they listen to my story, not a single person in the room will leave unchanged. In Roman mythology, there is a god with two faces named Janus. He is the god of gates and the god of beginnings and is depicted with two faces so that he can look forward and look back. I think about him often because my story involves the two faces of my past and my future. It is a story of creating new beginnings and a story of passing through a gate, representative of both the cold, real prison bars that I was behind for a large portion of my life and the threshold I crossed when I left my past and chose my future. As you read this book, I want you to remember Janus. Who are you now? Who do you want to be? What has kept you from being the person that you want to be? I believe that human beings can adapt to any type of adversity and I believe that we all have room to make some positive change in our lives. This book is for those of you who are standing at the gate of your new beginning, looking at the past and preparing to choose a future as the person that you want to be. It is my hope that you can learn from my story and I can help you to embrace change and take that first step. Am I proud of the fact that I went to prison? Absolutely not. Do I feel remorse for my victims, and for the pain and shame that was borne by my family? Every day of my life. But, am I proud of the fact that I took a desperate situation and turned it into the life I lead today? Definitely. Do I believe that my struggles, accomplishments and life lessons can benefit everyday people in everyday lives? Absolutely. That is why I wrote this book and that is why I spread my message and story to as many people as possible. Over the next 20 chapters as I share my story with you —my ups and downs, good times and bad times—I ask that you read my words not as coming from a bank robber turned speaker, but coming from a man telling you that the only thing that can truly hold you back in life is you.

Mark Victor Hansen, Co-Creator, Chicken Soup for the Soul
"Everyone is in one kind of a prison or another. Troy's riveting story will grab you, inspire you, and teach you to put high values on your future freedom, life, love, and work."

Al Walker, CSP, CPAE, Past President of the National Speakers Association
"If you want to be inspired, uplifted and encouraged by someone who has known the depths of despair and then rose to almost unimaginable heights…read Troy Evans Story!
…It could be one of the most important books you’ll ever read."


Jim Hennig, Ph D, Past President, National Speaker's Association
Considering his past, Troy’s rise in the world of motivational speaking is nothing less than spectacular. He’s the right man with the right message at the right time. This book is a "must read"!