In this episode, Hilmarie sits down with Elsa Sarkis to explore why highly competent professionals can suddenly lose their confidence, clarity, and authority when the pressure rises, particularly when communicating in a second or third language. Drawing from her own experience with burnout and perfectionism, Elsa reveals how communication challenges often go much deeper than vocabulary or public speaking technique.
The conversation explores the hidden cost of translating in your head, why rehearsed communication can weaken authenticity, and how stress can affect the way we speak and connect with an audience. Elsa explains why confidence comes from competence and why professionals need to build strong foundations rather than rely on scripts, polished delivery, or surface-level confidence techniques.
Elsa also shares how an injury forced her to slow down and rethink the way she was living and working. From leaving corporate life to protecting her freedom and values, she reflects on building a career that aligns with who she is.
At its core, this episode is about finding your authentic voice, developing real competence, and learning to remain connected to yourself when the pressure is highest.
About The Guest
Elsa Sarkis is a Dubai-based trilingual conference interpreter and communication coach working across English, Arabic, and French. With more than 12 years of experience in high-pressure communication environments, her career has included major international platforms such as the World Government Summit, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and the World Urban Forum.
Today, Elsa helps multilingual founders, executives, and professionals communicate with greater clarity, authority, and presence, particularly in English-speaking environments. Combining her interpreting experience with communication coaching and an understanding of identity and performance under pressure, she helps people move beyond overthinking, perfectionism, and self-silencing so their expertise can come through naturally and authentically.
Quotes
2:28 -Be very careful about money mindset and money education, but also growing your connections.
4:40 - Helping others is actually one of the best things that I love about doing my job. And I know that this makes an impact and that changes lives, and that's the biggest reward that I might get in my life, and this is how I could handle the psychological toll of it.
6:35 - It was so eye-opening, and I actually had no choice but to face it head-on because there was no other way. It's like I couldn't. And so, I know that when we are faced with a challenge, our first instinct is to push through because we are programmed to do that.
7:09 - A personality is not something set in stone, it changes a lot, and identity changes a lot as well, and it has to change if you want it to succeed. And this happens when you face your demons head-on.
12:16 - There are ways to speak about the same topic from your own baggage, from your own culture. You don't have to translate into in your head so that you can express that in the other language. It doesn't work. It just doesn't.
19:29 - Confidence comes from competence.
31:14- I'm the type of person who basically works in silence, does all the things hidden.
Useful Links
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sarkiselsa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsa.sarkis/
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsa-sarkis-esvitallc/
The Matrix Green Pill Podcast: https://thematrixgreenpill.com/
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