Tony Robbins

Anthony Jay Robbins (Template:Né Mahavoric, born February 29, 1960) is an American author, coach and motivational speaker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is known for his seminars, and self-help books including the books Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life and education

Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavoric in North Hollywood, California, on February 29, 1960.<ref name="OKeefe">Template:Cite news</ref> The eldest of three children, his parents divorced when he was seven. He is of Croatian descent from both sides of his family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His mother remarried several times, including a marriage with Jim Robbins, a former semi-professional baseball player who legally adopted Anthony when he was 12.<ref name="OKeefe" />

Robbins attended Glendora High School.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During high school, he grew Template:Convert in one year, a growth spurt later attributed to a pituitary tumor.<ref name="OKeefe" /> He has said his home life was "chaotic" and "abusive". When he was 17, he left home and never returned.<ref name="OKeefe" /> He later worked as a janitor, and did not attend college.<ref name="OKeefe"/> One day, he asked his landlord, a family friend, how he became so successful, and the landlord told him that he started to turn his life around after attending a Jim Rohn seminar.

Career

Robbins began promoting seminars for motivational speaker and author Jim Rohn when he was 17 years old.<ref name="Robbins 1987 p.409">Template:Cite web</ref> He subsequently learned to firewalk and incorporated it into his seminars.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In May 1995, Robbins Research International (RRI) settled with the Federal Trade Commission over alleged violations of the agency's Franchise Rule. Under the settlement, RRI did not admit to having violated any law, but agreed to pay $221,260 in consumer redress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2000, Wade Cook sued Robbins for allegedly using copyrighted terms from Cook's book Wall Street Money Machine in his seminars. A jury awarded Cook a $655,900 judgment, which was appealed.Template:Cn Cook and Robbins settled for an undisclosed amount.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 2010, NBC debuted Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, a reality show that followed Robbins as he helped the show's participants face their personal challenges.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> NBC canceled the show after airing two of the planned six episodes due to low viewership of 2.8 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2012, the OWN Network picked up the show for another season beginning with the original first season set to re-run and thereafter leading directly into the new 2012 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In April 2012, Robbins began co-hosting Oprah's Lifeclass on the OWN Network.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Robbins in 2009

In July 2012, the San Jose Mercury News published a story reporting that several people had been burned and hospitalized during one of Robbins's fire-walking events on July 19, 2012. This story was picked up by other media outlets, including Fox News, The New York Times, and CNN.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Aspects of these reports were later challenged by Robbins himself along with some of the on-site medical professionals.<ref name="huffingtonpost-Tony-Robbins">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="mercurynews-firewalk-burns">Template:Cite news</ref> On June 24, 2016, it was reported that "dozens were burned and required medical attention after attempting to walk on hot coals during a fire-walking event at a Tony Robbins seminar in Dallas, Texas".<ref name=firewalking>Template:Cite news</ref> A spokeswoman for the Robbins organization stated, "Someone unfamiliar with the process of the fire-walk called 911 reporting the need for emergency service vehicles […] there was no need for emergency personnel […] only 5 of 7,000 participants requested an examination beyond what was readily available on site."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2014, Robbins joined a group of investors to acquire rights to launch a Major League Soccer franchise in Los Angeles referred to as the Los Angeles Football Club. The team entered competition in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2015, filmmaker Joe Berlinger directed and produced the documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru, about the Tony Robbins event "Date with Destiny" after filming it in Boca Raton, Florida, in December 2014.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> It premiered at the South by Southwest film festival in March 2016<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was released by Netflix on July 15, 2016.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2016, Robbins partnered with Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber and Washington Wizards co-owner Ted Leonsis to purchase Team Liquid, an eSports professional gaming organization.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Robbins has worked on an individual basis with Bill Clinton,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Justin Tuck,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hugh Jackman,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Pitbull.<ref>Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He has counseled businessmen Peter Guber, Steve Wynn, and Marc Benioff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Philanthropy

In 1991, Robbins founded the Anthony Robbins Foundation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to help young people, homeless people, hungry people, elderly people, and imprisoned people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The foundation is said to deliver food baskets and household essentials to approximately 2 million people each year across various countries. Additionally, its products and programs are reportedly present in over 2,000 schools, 700 prisons, and 100,000 health and human service organizations.<ref name="7 Things">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2014, he donated the profits of his book, Money: Master the Game, along with an additional personal donation, through Feeding America to provide meals to people in need.<ref name="usatoday">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Robbins helped raise money for Operation Underground Railroad.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source

Personal life

In 1984, Robbins married Rebecca Jenkins after meeting her at a seminar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name = businessleader>Template:Cite news</ref> Jenkins had three children, from two former marriages, whom Robbins adopted. Robbins and Jenkins filed for divorce in 1998.<ref name = businessleader/>

In 1984, Robbins fathered a child with former girlfriend Liz Acosta. Their son, Jairek Robbins, is also a personal empowerment coach and trainer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2001, Robbins married Bonnie Sage Humphrey Robbins.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They live in Manalapan, Florida.<ref name="7 Things"/>

Robbins was a vegan for 12 years; he then reportedly added fish to his diet.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> While eating a fish-heavy diet, he developed mercury poisoning and nearly died.<ref name="Men's Journal">Template:Cite news</ref> His diet now consists of mostly vegetables with a small amount of animal protein.<ref name="Men's Journal"/><ref>"Tony Robbins follows a special diet he says gets him through 16-hour work days". Businessinsider.com. Retrieved 6 March 2021.</ref>

Robbins' net worth is estimated to be around $600 million.<ref name="7 Things"/> He owns the Namale Resort and Spa which is located in Fiji.<ref name="7 Things"/> Robbins is a licensed helicopter pilot.<ref name="7 Things"/>

In a 2013 interview with Playboy magazine, Robbins disclosed that he had been diagnosed with acromegaly at age 31, but refused his doctor's recommendation to undergo brain surgery.<ref name=Plaskin2013>Template:Cite news</ref> Robbins is Template:Convert tall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Sexual harassment allegations

In May 2019, an investigation by BuzzFeed News detailed accusations against Robbins of the sexual harassment of fans and staff members, such as groping fans at events and exposing his genitals to his assistants.<ref name="Buzzfeed Unlimited Power">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Robbins denied the allegations and said, "I have been the target of a year-long investigation by BuzzFeed. Unfortunately, your organization has made it clear to my team that you intend to move forward with publishing an inaccurate, agenda-driven version of the past, pierced with falsehoods."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2019, BuzzFeed News published a six-part article accusing Robbins of molesting a teenage girl during his time as a "star speaker" at SuperCamp, an elite summer camp in southern California. The article states that the events took place in 1985 when Robbins was 25, and that there were at least two eyewitnesses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Robbins denied wrongdoing and sued BuzzFeed News in Ireland. In response, BuzzFeed News said that it stood by its reporting and suggested that Robbins's decision to file the summons in Ireland was an "abuse" of the Irish court.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Select bibliography

• Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement (1986). Free Press. Template:ISBN.
• Awaken the Giant Within (1991). Free Press. Template:ISBN.
• Giant Steps (1994). Touchstone. Template:ISBN.
• Money: Master the Game (2014). Simon & Schuster. Template:ISBN.
• Co-authored with Peter Mallouk (2017). Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook. Simon & Schuster. Template:ISBN.
• Co-authored with Peter Mallouk (2020). The Path: Accelerating Your Journey to Financial Freedom. Post Hill Press. Template:ISBN.
• Co-authored with Peter Diamandis and Robert Hariri (2022). Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life & Those You Love. Simon & Schuster. Template:ISBN.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb name
• Tony Robbins, Encyclopædia Britannica