Former CIA Spy: How to Read Anyone, Think Clearly, and Protect Yourself

Mon 17 Aug 2026, 04:0517 Aug

Today, a former spy and the former Chief of Disguise for the CIA is taking you inside the heart-pounding world of espionage and the secret life she lived working undercover for 30 years.

Jonna will share the tactics and strategies you need to read anyone and spot a liar, offer a powerful warning about the state of the world today, and give you practical wisdom to find courage and face life’s hardest moments.

For decades, Jonna helped intelligence officers assume new identities, disappear in plain sight, and carry out high-risk operations.

Jonna created disguises convincing enough to fool the President of the United States and the Secret Service.

Together, Jonna and her late husband, Tony Mendez, co-authored the bestselling book Argo about the CIA operation he led - the true story that inspired the Academy Award-winning film Argo.

But what makes this conversation so powerful is not just the spy stories.It is Jonna’s deeply personal reflection on courage, reinvention, trust, loss, and what it means to keep going when life feels scary or uncertain.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why courage does not come first and how confidence and preparation create it
How to stay calm under pressure
What 30 years in the CIA taught Jonna about trusting your intuition
The signs that someone may be trying too hard to convince you of a lie
Why direct eye contact is not the lie detector most people think it is
How Jonna would change the smallest details to make someone disappear in plain sight
Why you are never starting over when you make a major change
How to stop underestimating yourself and aim higher
Why nothing meaningful is accomplished alone
How taking small steps can help you face problems that feel too big to solve

Jonna will tell you that courage is not something you either have or you do not. It comes from knowing what to do, preparing yourself, and confronting the things that scare you.

After today, you'll understand how to build confidence, trust yourself under pressure, and have the courage to reinvent your life…at any age.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: It’s Not Too Late: How to Transform Your Life at Any Moment

Mel wants to add:

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Former CIA Spy: How to Read Anyone, Think Clearly, and Protect Yourself

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