By Trevor Metzler and Zurich Ronert
The moment that stuck with us most from TEDxMiramar didn’t happen during a speech.
It happened when an 11-year-old walked onto the stage—and made it his.
We had just spent months preparing for five minutes. Rewriting, practicing, second-guessing every word.
And then August Komkov stepped out and reminded us what real confidence looks like.
At 16, we’ve both spent years committing to something bigger than ourselves. For us, it’s rowing—six days a week since fifth grade. Early mornings, long practices, learning how to push through when things don’t go your way.
That same mindset carried into preparing for our TEDx talk, “Lessons from the Boat: What Rowing Since Fifth Grade Taught Two Teenagers About Life.”
But TEDx challenged us in a completely different way.
It wasn’t physical. It was mental. Every sentence had to earn its place. Every pause had to mean something. We worked through drafts, feedback, and constant refinement just to get to a place where we could stand on that stage and trust ourselves.
So by the time we arrived at TEDxMiramar, we understood what it takes to show up like that.
And then August Komkov walked on.
There was a level of confidence that you can’t fake. No overthinking. No second-guessing. Just full commitment.
We got to hang out backstage with August and watch from behind the scenes. And what stood out to us wasn’t just how talented he is—it was how comfortable he was in that space.
We had to train ourselves to get there.
August stepped into it naturally.
But the more we thought about it, the more it made sense.
He’s been dancing since he was five years old. The same way we’ve been rowing since we were kids… but not since five! That kind of repetition builds something deeper than skill. It builds trust—in yourself, in your training, in your ability to perform when it matters.
Watching him made something click.
All the work we put into our talk got us to a place where we could deliver it with confidence.
But August showed us what it looks like when preparation goes one step further—when it turns into complete presence.
He wasn’t thinking about what came next.
He was just in it.
And you could feel that from the audience.
There’s a moment when someone is performing and you stop analyzing what they’re doing—you just watch.
That’s what he created.
As speakers, our goal was to share an idea people would remember. As a performer, August did the same thing, without saying a word. He made people feel something. And that’s what really stayed with us.
Because whether you’re speaking, competing, or performing, that’s the goal.
If people feel something real, you’ve done your job.
What made it even more meaningful for us was understanding what goes into reaching that level.
We’re still learning. Still figuring out how to handle pressure, how to perform when it counts, how to trust the process.
Watching an 11-year-old do that with that level of confidence—it changes your perspective.
It reminds you that mastery isn’t about age.
It’s about commitment.
About showing up consistently, long before anyone is watching.
TEDxMiramar gave us the opportunity to share our big idea and our story.
But it also gave us something we didn’t expect.
A new standard.
And somehow, that standard was set by an 11-year-old who walked on stage and reminded all of us what it looks like to truly own your moment.
Congrats to August… you inspire all of us!
Follow August on Instagram at @August.Komkov
