Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavoric on February 29, 1960, into a challenging environment marked by poverty and family instability in North Hollywood, California. He experienced childhood trauma, including an absent father and a tumultuous home life, which he later channeled into his teachings on overcoming adversity. At age 17, Robbins invested a week's wages to attend a seminar by motivational speaker Jim Rohn, a pivotal moment that inspired him to join Rohn as an assistant, organizing events and developing his own high-energy style infused with Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and behavioral psychology. By his early 20s, Robbins launched independent seminars in the early 1980s, incorporating fire-walking as a confidence-building ritual learned from NLP practitioner John Grinder, which drew massive crowds and media attention, including guiding Oprah Winfrey through one. At 26, he became a millionaire and bestselling author with Unlimited Power (1986), followed by hits like Awaken the Giant Within (1991). He expanded via infomercials, audiobooks, DVDs, apps, and events like 'Date with Destiny,' producing the #1 personal development audio system Personal Power, which sold tens of millions of copies. Robbins diversified into business strategy, advising Fortune 500 CEOs, athletes, and leaders. He chairs five private companies and is vice chairman of two, including public ones generating nearly $500 million yearly, and owns Namale Resort & Spa in Fiji. Philanthropically, his Anthony Robbins Foundation aids millions with food, essentials, and programs in schools, prisons, and human services organizations.