| Anthony Robbins | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 29, 1960 North Hollywood, California, United States |
| Occupation | Author Actor Professional speaker |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Salary | US$30 million (2007)[1] |
| Spouse | Becky Robbins (m. 1986–2001) Sage Robbins (m. 2001–present) |
Anthony "Tony" Robbins (born February 29, 1960) is an American self-help author and success coach. Robbins' books include Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement and Awaken The Giant Within.
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Robbins was born in North Hollywood, California in the United States. He later moved to Azusa, California and attended Glendora High School.
Robbins started his career promoting seminars for Jim Rohn. Robbins says: "My first mentor was a man named Jim Rohn. He taught me that happiness and success in life are not the result of what we have, but rather of how we live. What we do with the things we have makes the biggest difference in the quality of life."[2] Robbins worked for Rohn from the age of 18 to 22 years old.[3]
Later Robbins began teaching neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) which he had learned from NLP co-founder John Grinder. In 1983, Robbins learned how to firewalk from Tolly Burkan[4] and he began to incorporate firewalking into his seminars and later began to develop and teach Neuro-Associative Conditioning (NAC).
Robbins has used infomercials to promote his products, seminars and programs. His audio programs, seminars and self-help products feature Neuro-linguistic programming and Ericksonian hypnosis.[5][6]
Robbins calls himself a peak performance coach rather than a motivational speaker because he believes that peak performance coaching is more effective than temporary motivation.
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Therapy |
| DEVELOPERS |
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Richard Bandler |
| INFLUENCES |
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Fritz Perls |
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Robbins published Unlimited Power with Simon and Schuster in 1987.[7] Robbins books discuss the topics of health and energy, overcoming fears, persuasive communication, and enhancing relationships. One reviewer called the book "uplifting and idealistic."[8]
A critic of his book said it "is too wordy" and "reads like a transcript of a series of talks."[9] Other reviewers dispute the book's originality, pointing to ideological similarities with Maxwell Maltz, Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, and Dale Carnegie.[10] Throughout his book, Robbins freely acknowledges his indebtedness to these and other thinkers.
Others have criticized Chapter Ten of the book, "Energy: The Fuel of Excellence." In the chapter, Robbins promotes such ideas as food combining, lymphology, and deep breathing to promote healthy physiology. Robbins also introduces many of the ideas of food combining espoused by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond in their book, Fit for Life. He refers to them as his "former partners".[11] The National Council for Reliable Health Information wrote a critical review of the chapter, stating that his sources were unreliable.[12][13]
In the book, Robbins shares the story of W. Mitchell, a successful motivational speaker who had undergone serious physical setbacks.[14]
In his book Awaken the Giant Within, Robbins says that the difference between NAC and NLP lies in the use of the word "conditioning" instead of the word "programming."[15] The word "conditioning" implies that the subject has greater responsibility for his or her own change, as opposed to being programmed by someone else.
Robbins also conducts seminars, including four-day events such as Unleash the Power Within (UPW), Mastery University, Date With Destiny, and Business Mastery.
During the UPW seminar participants walk barefoot on hot coals at the end of the first evening session. The main point of the seminar is that achieving greatness requires the ability to unleash one's personal power and take action.
The Life Mastery, seminar emphasizes a healthy lifestyle, and has featured guest lecturers such as Deepak Chopra and John Gray.
Date With Destiny, the only Mastery event at which Robbins is present for the entire event, is said to be designed to help participants align their values with their individual goals.
In 1997, Robbins began the Leadership Academy seminar, in which participants learn to "[c]reate an identity for them self as someone who can help 'anyone', no matter what his/her challenge may be."[16]
Robbins has been a featured speaker at several Real Estate Wealth Expos sponsored by the Learning Annex and at the 2007 Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference. Robbins presentation has been ranked as one of the Top 10 TED Talks.[17]
In May 1995, Robbins Research International (RRI) responded to Federal Trade Commission charges of misrepresentation of potential earnings to franchise investors, by agreeing to pay $221,260 (USD) in consumer redress.[18]
Financial seminar guru Wade Cook also sued Robbins for copyright infringement, alleging that Robbins used proprietary terms in his seminars and in his book, Wall Street Money Machine. In 1998, a Tacoma, Washington jury ordered Robbins to pay Cook $650,900 in damages. The order to pay damages was later withdrawn, but the allegations remained.[19]
In his book, Awaken the Giant Within, Robbins recounts meetings with Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, François Mitterrand, and Princess Diana.[20]
In the books Personal Power and Get the Edge Robbins says that celebrities who appeared in his infomercials, did so without compensation. These include Fran Tarkenton, Pamela Anderson, Quincy Jones, Erin Brockovich and Anthony Hopkins.[21]
According to a 1994 article in the New York Times President Bill Clinton invited Robbins, Marianne Williamson and Dr. Steven R. Covey to a meeting at Camp David. However, all parties "refuse to divulge the substance of their meeting with the Clintons".[22]
Robbins has counseled sports professionals such as Greg Norman, Serena Williams, Mike Tyson, Chuck Liddell, Diego Sanchez and Andre Agassi, and sports teams such as the Los Angeles Kings.
Robbins is a member of the Advisory Board of HealthCorps.
In Shallow Hal Robbins appears in a scene with Jack Black in an elevator and Robbins hypnotizes Black in order to change his mental state. Black then sees people's outward appearance based on their inner personality. During the scene, Black refers to Robbins' hands as "banana hands". Robbins' wife Sage, also has a cameo appearance in the movie.
In Men in Black (1997), an image of Robbins and a Robbins infomercial is seen in the background during a tour of the control room used to track aliens living on earth.
In Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4, Episode 20 "The Yoko Factor", Spike compares The Initiative's creature Adam to Tony Robbins.
Robbins has also appeared on the TV show, The Sopranos.
Robbins is scheduled to appear in an upcoming movie The Singularity Is Near: A True Story About The Future, which is based on the book The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology (2005) by Ray Kurzweil.[23]
Robbins also appears in a commercial playing in the background during a scene of The Cable Guy.
In the movie About Schmidt, Jack Nicholson is in bed pretending to read Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins.
In the 2004 movie, The Girl Next Door, Tony Robbins can be heard on the stereo of a truancy officer.
In the Family Guy episode, "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein", Peter goes to a Robbins book signing event. Peter introduces himself and Robbins bellows "Tony Robbins Hungry!", proceeding to swallow Peter whole in a manner resembling a snake.
The author of a video game called Shattered Glass says his video character Ratbat is based on Robbins.
In an episode of The Office, Michael Scott mentions that he attended a free event associated with a Tony Robbins course and that he has incorporated a lot of Robbins' ideas into his own motivational course.[24]
When the main character of Up in the Air is invited to speak at a conference, he says that this one is big, "Tony Robbins big!"
In February 2009 NBC announced a new reality series called Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, a reality show that followed Robbins as he helps the show's participants face their personal challenging-abilities.[25] It debuted on July 27, 2010.[26] NBC cancelled the show after airing two of the planned six episodes, due to low viewership.[27]
Robbins is the founder of the Anthony Robbins Foundation, whose self-proclaimed mission is to empower students and prisoners, organize food drives, and fund Robbins' "Discovery Camp."[28] According to the official website, the foundation has "products and programs in more than 2,000 schools, 700 prisons, and 100,000 health and human service organizations." The foundation is said to have inspired groups around the world, who provide baskets of food to two million needy people each year, on Thanksgiving Day.Charity Navigator gives the foundation a rating of three out of four stars.[29]
In June 2001, Robbins married Bonnie Humphrey (now known as Sage Robbins)[30] and is the father of four children.[31]
Robbins alludes to his personal belief in God in Unlimited Power, giving the grand complexity of life as evidence of an intelligent designer.[32]