Tony Robbins

Entrepreneur, speaker, life coach

• Born: February 29, 1960
• Place of Birth: Glendora, California

• Significance: Tony Robbins is an entrepreneur, speaker, and life coach. He is known for his high-energy seminars that are meant to inspire participants and that often feature shouting and walking on fire. Robbins has coached numerous famous and powerful people, including Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Clinton. He has sold millions of books and audio recordings.

Background

Tony Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavorick on February 29, 1960, in Glendora, California. Robbins's family was poor, and his stepfather, who was a salesman, struggled to earn enough money to support them. Robbins's mother was an alcoholic, and she was sometimes physically abusive. Robbins spent much of his childhood protecting himself and his siblings from their mother. Robbins left home at age seventeen after his mother chased him throughout their house with a knife. He claimed that the hardships he had to overcome as a child motivated him to succeed and helped propel him forward.

After Robbins left home, his plans for the future changed. Although he hoped to attend the University of Southern California to study sports writing, he instead took a job as a janitor and found his own apartment. Despite the challenges, Robbins had a goal of becoming wealthy. He also wanted to help people who were not as fortunate.

Life's Work

Robbins life changed when he went to a seminar with a motivational speaker named Jim Rohn. Robbins was inspired by the experience, and he eventually received a job with Rohn. Motivational speaking and the self-help industry were a good fit for Robbins. Robbins developed his own ideas about self-help. His main focus was encouraging people to change the stories they told themselves. He believed that changing the way people think could alter their actions and lives. Robbins started his company Robbins Research International Inc., which is also known as the Anthony Robbins Companies, in 1983. He served as the president of the company, and he built his speaking and coaching businesses through the company. He made his first million dollars by the time he was twenty-four years old.

Robbins published his first book, Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement, in 1986. In the book, Robbins tells readers how they can follow through on their personal and professional goals. The book helped Robbins become famous, and it greatly expanded his audience. He capitalized on the success of his book and created several audio programs. Robbins also continued with his successful life coaching and speaking businesses. He became well known for his coaching, and he began to attract many important and wealthy clients.

During his career, Robbins purchased several whole and partial businesses. He owns that Namale Resort and Spa in Fiji, which Robbins said was his favorite place to spend time. His other companies are varied in their focus, from a business that specializes in 3-D printing of medical devices to an asteroid mining company.

As a life coach and speaker, Robbins leads seminars and events, some of which can last for days and cost thousands of dollars. One of his most famous seminars is the annual Date with Destiny event. People worldwide pay thousands of dollars to attend the event. Much of the weekend includes Robbins speaking and inspiring guests. Another famous event held during the seminar is the firewalk. Attendees can choose to walk across hot coals. The exercise symbolizes that they can do anything they set their mind to do. The firewalk quickly became famous and synonymous with Robbins, and many attendees of this seminar look forward to the event. Although many people at the Date with Destiny have had good experiences with the firewalk, some have received minor burns.

Robbins encourages people to care for themselves physically and mentally to be successful. He is known for his energetic speaking and has continued to provide high-intensity seminars for more than three decades. Robbins avoids caffeine, alcohol, red meat, and chicken to help him stay healthy and motivated. He also encourages people to exercise.

Robbins is also a philanthropist who started the Tony Robbins Foundation in 1991. The foundation feeds millions of people each year through its Basket Brigade program, which distributes food and household items to people around the world. The foundation provides books, lessons, and other educational materials to prisons, schools, and other institutions. The organization also gives grants to other charitable organizations. In addition, it provides clean drinking water to one hundred thousand people per day in India, where waterborne illness is a serious problem. In 2014, Robbins donated $1 million to the Global Learning XPrize, which aims to improve education.

However, Robbins has had his share of controversy. In 2018, he apologized for accusing women of using the #MeToo movement to gain significance. The following year, at least ten women, some on his staff, accused Robbins of either sexual harassment or being degraded during his seminars from the 1990s to the early 2000s. Robbins was later accused of molesting a teenage girl. Robbins vehemently denied the accusations, claiming they were made to harm his reputation and hurt his family. He sued BuzzFeed News in the United Kingdom, the organization that first published the accusations.

In 2024, Robbins partnered with Sam Nazarian, a businessperson in the hospitality industry, to develop a chain of luxury hotels and longevity centers. Singer Marc Anthony also invested in the project.

Impact

Robbins has become one of the most recognizable faces in the American self-help industry. Thousands of people worldwide attend his seminars each year. Robbins also has become a symbol in American popular culture, and he has been featured in movies such as Shallow Hal and Men in Black. He has been the feature of numerous news broadcasts and magazine articles. In addition, Robbins has coached many famous and successful people. Many people who have completed his courses, seminars, and personal trainings have claimed that Robbins has helped them overcome problems and improve their professional and personal lives. While Robbins does not reveal much information about his finances, he donates much of his wealth to his philanthropic efforts.

Personal Life

Robbins's first marriage to Becky Jenkins ended in divorce in 2001. Robbins then married Sage Humphrey in October 2001. Robbins has a child, Jairek, with a former girlfriend.

Bibliography

"Anthony J. Mahavorick." Bloomberg, 6 Sept. 2017, www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1476305&privcapId=4457898. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Lorber, Laura. "This $5,000 Tony Robbins Seminar Is Free on Netflix." Inc., 27 July 2016, www.inc.com/laura-lorber/tony-robbins-joe-berlinger-documentary.html. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

O'Keefe, Brian. "Tony Robbins, the CEO Whisperer." Fortune, 30 Oct. 2014, fortune.com/2014/10/30/tony-robbins-best-advice-executive-coach. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

"Our History." Anthony Robbins Foundation, anthonyrobbinsfoundation.org/about/our-history. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Sawyer, Nicole, and Rebecca Jarvis. "Tony Robbins: 11 Things You Didn't Know about the Superstar Life Coach." ABC News, 10 Mar. 2015, abcnews.go.com/Business/tony-robbins-11-things-superstar-life-coach/story?id=29513846. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Seward, Bianca, and Alex Johnson. "Firewalk Participants Defend Tony Robbins after Dozens Treated for Burns." NBC News, 27 June 2016, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/firewalk-participants-defend-tony-robbins-after-dozens-treated-burns-n599356. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Silva, Danielle, and Chelsea Danberg. "Tony Robbins Accused of Sexual Misconduct, Berating Abuse Victims." NBC News, 17 Mar. 2019, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tony-robbins-accused-sexual-misconduct-berating-abuse-victims-n1007041. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.