Anthony J. Robbins (born 29 February 1960, Glendora, California) is an American life coach, motivational speaker and bestselling writer.

Robbins has authored a number of best-selling books, including Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within. His best known tape program is known as Personal Power II; other programs include Get the Edge! and Lessons in Mastery.

Robbins has coached a number of world leaders, including several US Presidents, as well as Mikhail Gorbachev, Princess Diana and others. He has presented at the White House for both presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Philosophy and Ideas

Robbins is the inventor and proponent of what he refers to as neuroassociative conditioning, which is based on Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). Robbins studied NLP under NLP co-founder John Grinder, who encouraged him to look into the firewalk, experience which became the foundation of his popular firewalk seminars. The book Unlimited Power offers a number of examples of how to employ elements of NLP in day to day situations.

He also conducts a number of seminars, most famously his four-day Unleash the Power Within, during which the participants walk over hot coals in bare feet. The aim of the seminar, demonstrated in the firewalk, is to illustrate that the main quality shared by those who achieve greatness is the ability to act ('Personal Power'). Robbins asserts that fear often holds people back from achieving what they desire with their life. To walk safely on burning coals requires few physical skills, but it does require the mental discipline to overcome one's inner doubts. Applying that

Health Programs and Recommendations

Robbins also promotes a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle and endorses the views of Dr. Robert Young and Natural Hygiene practices regarding the need for an alkaline diet. He has also praised John Robbins book, "Diet for a New America".

Techniques

Among the techniques Robbins teaches are the following:

• Attempting to alter the body's physiology to achieve a change of emotional state.
• Asking specific questions to direct one's attention to aspects of human experience that create a more favorable psychology.
• Getting leverage to create change by associating a person's old behavior with massive pain and the desired new behavior with massive pleasure.
• Interrupting one's limiting pattern by doing something totally unexpected.
• Conditioning behaviour by visualizing it over and over again.
• Goal-setting
• Creating a "Compelling future", vividly imagining one's end result to generate enthusiasm and power to work towards one's goals.

Criticism

Critics claim that some of his ideas, such as that the energy of food can be measured in Hertz, are pseudoscience, and that the methods are really nothing new, but are simply attractively packaged pieces of existing self-help methods borrowed from other sources (such as neurolinguistic programming), mixed with hyperbole and anecdotal evidence. Critics also claim that Robbins' products are overly revenue-focused; packages such as "Personal Power II" are marketed as complete self-development systems, but critics claim that Robbins frequently withholds information and urges the user to attend one of his seminars to learn the rest. He has also been criticized as being in the vanguard of the New Age movement, along with other stylized self-help gurus as Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, and Deepak Chopra.

Robbins was sued by financial seminar guru Wade Cook for copyright infringement. Cook claimed that Robbins lifted concepts and terms from his seminars

Tony Robbins has received criticism for giving marriage advice, while he himself is divorced. In addition, Robbins founded and was on the board of directors for Dreamlife.com, a company that has since filed for "Certification and notice of termination of registration".

Supporters argue that Robbins' books, tapes and seminars have helped millions of people. They point to testimonials to the changes brought about by applying his methods.

Concern of similarities of Robbins techniques to those employed by cults

Concern and criticism has also been raised regarding the alleged use by Robbins of cult-like persuasion techniques in both his

The parallels to similarities to techniques and rituals employed by cults are most common of Robbins' multiple day self-improvement seminars. Detractors compare them to that of Large Group Awareness Training (LGAT) sessions, where participants are worked in a frenzy (see Collective hysteria) and subjected to intense peer pressure and group dynamics in an effort to sell them additional products/services whilst in this heightened state. Other examples cited by attendees include each individual event day lasting up to 15-18 hours with little or no breaks for food, repetitive chants, mind control techniques, a charismatic leader, strict guidelines and totalitarianism.

Margaret Singer describes the use of New Age self-improvement courses using 'coordinated programs of coercive influence and behavioral control,' in her book Cults in Our Midst (ISBN 0787967416). This topic is also extensively covered in detail on the Rick Ross

2008 Presidential Consideration

In May of 2005, Robbins was asked whether he was thinking about running for the United States Presidency in 2008; he replied, "Maybe. It's a very long time till then."

After listening to Robbins books and looking at the people he openly associates with (Martin Sheen, Deepak Chopra, etc.) one can reasonably assume that he would be ideologically disposed to run for the Democratic nomination. In his book, Awaken the Giant Within, Robbins talks about the problems with the ecosystem, homelessness, escalating crime rates, huge budget deficits, starvation, prison system, environment, etc.

Robbins is also known to be friends with Governor Schwarzenegger. Robbins says in his book, Awaken the Giant Within, that he supports tougher sentences for criminals. However, he urged his friend, Governor Schwarzenegger, to allow clemency for one of the co-founders of the Crips gang - convicted murderer Stanley "Tookie" Williams.

Media Appearances

He hypnotizes the title character Hal in the film Shallow Hal.

An animated Tony Robbins (voiced by unknown) was lampooned in the controversial Family Guy episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein". Robbins calls, "Tony Robbins HUNGRY!" to Peter Griffin when asked to autograph his book and proceeds to devour him whole.

Chris Farley in Tommy Boy (1995) references Tony Robbins when David Spade says something very cheesy.

He was in the film "Larger Than Life" with Bill Murray. His video is seen playing during the junk yard scene.

Men In Black, (first movie): His image can be seen in the background as one of many aliens being allowed to live on earth while being monitored when Will Smith's character is introduced early in the film to the inner workings of "The Agency".

Reality Bites: Seen on TV in one of his infomercials toward the end of the movie.

The Cable Guy: His ad is on TV when Jim Carrey first meets the 'patsy' when hooking up his cable.

Aspen Extreme: Tony Robbins infomercial on TV late at night.

Bibliography

• Awaken the Giant Within, (ISBN 0671791540)
• Unlimited Power, (ISBN 0684845776)
• Giant Steps, (ISBN 0671891049)

See also

• Human potential movement
• Self-help
• Natural Hygiene
• Neuro-linguistic programming