3 lasting lessons from the man who mentored Tony Robbins (2024)

While working as a part-time janitor at 17 years old, Tony Robbins was broke, barely making $40 a week. Looking to change his life, he splurged on a $35 three-hour seminar with personal development coach Jim Rohn. “It turned out to be one of the most important investments of my life,” Robbins said in his 2014 book “Money: Master the Game.”

“He gave me a way of looking at life that allowed me to not ask [that] life would be easier, but to ask that I’d be better,” Robbins said in a tributeafter Rohn passed away in 2009. “He got me to realize that the secret to life was to work harder on myself than my job or anything else because then I’d have something to give people and he really shaped me."

Rohn grew up on a farm in Idaho in the 1930s and 40s and got into the personal development industry thanks to a mentor of his named Earl Shoaff. Rohn went from working as a store clerk to speaking for money at high schools and colleges. He eventually made between $3,000 to $8,000 per lecture, in addition to profits from the videos, cassettes and books he sold. He became a millionaire at age 31, helped others create fortunes of their own along the way, and met Robbins nearly 16 years later when the struggling teenager showed up to a seminar.

“That man, that seminar, that day — what Jim Rohn did was put me back in control of my own future,” Robbins writes in his book. “I took [his] message to heart and became obsessed — I would never stop growing, never stop giving, never stop trying to expand my influence or my capacity to give and do good.”

Here are three lasting lessons Robbins took away from his mentor.

Do more than you’re expected to

One of the best pieces of advice Robbins says he has ever received came from Rohn, who told him that “the secret to life is to find a way to do more for others than anyone else is doing.”

"If you want to be extraordinary as a friend or business person, as a father or a lover, find a way to add more value, especially to those you love the most,” Robbins said in a 2015 Q&A.

Robbins wanted to immediately turn his life around after attending Rohn's seminar, but Rohn recommended that Robbins instead shift his focus from "expecting things to happen so fast" to building his skills.

“Your worth in the marketplace is based on your ability to add more value than anyone else,” Rohn said, Robbins recalled in a 2016 Q&A. “If you can find a way to do more for others in your company, more for the employees, more for the clients, than anybody else, your gifts will make room for you. But in order to do that, you've got to build skills."

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Read 30 minutes every day

Rohn taught Robbins that it’s fine to miss a meal “but don’t miss your reading,” Robbins recalls in a Facebook post. "Reading something of substance, something of value, something that was nourishing, something that taught you distinctions, was more important than eating."

Thanks to that lesson, “I got hooked on a habit that turned out to be one of the most valuable of my life: reading at least 30 minutes a day,” Robbins adds.

He has since adapted the advice slightly to include audio books, advice and lessons. Still, "I try to make sure I don't miss a day without 30 minutes of something that's going to give me a new skill, a new insight, a new strategy or something to inspire me," Robbins told CNBC Make It during the 2017 Iconic Tour.

Create rituals in order to reach your goals

Rohn also underscored the value of building good habits.

“I always say something that my original teacher taught me, I always remind people: there's always two pains in life, there's the pain of discipline or there's the pain of regret,” Robbins says. “Discipline weighs ounces, as my friend Jim Rohn taught me, regret weighs tons.”

Given that “you don’t want to have regret,” Robbins explains that it’s crucial to establish small rituals to help you get to your goal. “Let me tell you something: Willpower doesn't last. But rituals can last a lifetime,” Robbins adds.

By setting rituals, “you’ll get momentum, because once you discipline yourself in one area of your life, you feel yourself doing it in others as well,” he says.

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FAQs

What are the three steps to a breakthrough? ›

To create a breakthrough, he says, "change your strategy; change your story; change your state."

How did Tony Robbins turn his life around? ›

The landlord told him that he started to turn his life around after going to a Jim Rohn seminar, which he described as “a man takes everything he's learned in 20, 30 years of his life, and he pours it into like four hours.” This was the beginning of a dramatic change in Robbins' trajectory.

Who was Tony Robbins' first mentor? ›

My original teacher was a man named Jim Rohn, an Idaho farm boy and Sears clerk who made it big as a motivational speaker and author. He held seminars all across the country for 40 years. He was a millionaire by the age of 31, and authored 17 books.

Why is Tony Robbins so effective? ›

**Understanding of Human Psychology**: Robbins has a deep understanding of human psychology and uses this knowledge to connect with his audience on an emotional level. He knows how to tap into people's fears, desires, and motivations, which helps him engage his audience and maintain high energy levels.

How to have a breakthrough with Tony Robbins? ›

Here are my 3 steps to a breakthrough:
  1. Your Strategies. I live for finding strategies — those shortcuts that help people get more done in less time. ...
  2. Your Story. We all have stories — narratives we tell ourselves about why we can or cannot do or achieve something in our lives. ...
  3. Your state.

What are examples of breakthrough? ›

Think about the launch of the first iPod, and then the first iPhone. Those are iconic moments in tech history. Apple released new products that went on to create a long term demand for handheld technologies that we all take for granted now. Apple are an example of breakthrough innovation themselves.

What was Tony Robbins childhood trauma? ›

In a recent interview with CNBC, Robbins recalled getting chased out of the house with a knife by his mother when he was 17 and being physically abused by her as a child. “If my mom had been the mother I thought I wanted, I wouldn't be as driven; I wouldn't be as hungry,” he said.

What is the message of Tony Robbins? ›

At the core of Tony Robbins' philosophy is personal power. Each of us has everything we need to succeed within ourselves if we can only learn to access and maximize it. So why do we choose to let our true capabilities go unrecognized? Perhaps we lack the drive to act or are too full of self-doubt to proceed.

Who trained Tony Robbins? ›

Then Jim Rohn invited Tony Robbins to come to work for him and Tony went on to be mentored and coached by Jim Rohn. By the time, Tony was 31 years, he was a millionaire.

Is Tony Robbins a vegan? ›

They live in Manalapan, Florida. Robbins was a vegan for 12 years, he then reportedly added fish to his diet. Whilst eating a fish-heavy diet he developed mercury poisoning and nearly died. His diet now consists of mostly vegetables with a small amount of animal protein.

Why did Tony Robbins change his name? ›

Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavorick to a working-class family. In childhood he adopted the surname of a stepfather.

Who helped Tony Robbins? ›

He became a millionaire at age 31, helped others create fortunes of their own along the way, and met Robbins nearly 16 years later when the struggling teenager showed up to a seminar. “That man, that seminar, that day — what Jim Rohn did was put me back in control of my own future,” Robbins writes in his book.

What method does Tony Robbins use? ›

Tony Robbins created the RPM, universally known as the Rapid Planning Method.

How is Tony Robbins so energetic? ›

He told Business Insider that he wasn't born a naturally energetic person, that he gets little sleep when he's on tour, and that he doesn't take stimulants for a boost. Instead, he's developed strict habits around diet, exercise, stress management, and the approach to his work.

Is Tony Robbins a real psychologist? ›

Robbins has no formal training in psychology or mental health but learned his craft from Jim Rohn, a Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur.

What are the steps to a breakthrough? ›

Below are the seven things you must do to create a personal breakthrough:
  1. Hit a low point. This may seem counter-intuitive, but the first step is to hit a low point. ...
  2. Analyse your story so far. ...
  3. Make a decision. ...
  4. Set a new standard. ...
  5. Design your new life. ...
  6. Take up three new positive habits. ...
  7. Get clear on your why. ...
  8. Call To Action.
Apr 20, 2017

What are the elements of a breakthrough? ›

The elements of breakthrough
  • Vision. Have you ever had the sense that there is something more you want from life? ...
  • Conviction. Once you have a clear idea of what your goals are in life, you will be faced with the frustration of seeing how far away you are from reaching them. ...
  • Faithfulness.

What is the breakthrough method? ›

The Breakthrough Method guides you in the process of first observing a breakthrough as a natural process and then CREATING your own when you're ready. We use my signature 5 steps to prep your mind to create a breakthrough, just like planting a plant.

What is breakthrough process? ›

The Breakthrough Process is a strategic roadmap to guide the most complex transformations. Enterprise, community, social and environmental transformations are a bit like boiling the ocean.

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