Anthony Robbins: The Why-Guy who Knows How to Empower
If Cinderella was a man and the story took place in our times, Tony Robbins life would fit in the script perfectly.
Born on the 29th of February 1960 (a leap year) in North Hollywood, California, Tony was oldest of his two siblings. His mother Nikki loved him dearly, yet expected only the best behavior of him and he did everything to please her. A year after his parents got divorced, the quiet and shy seven-year-old Tony moved to Azusa, California, where he attended Glendora High School.
His mother later remarried to a former baseball player – Jim Robbins, whose surname Tony took on. His stepfather was the first person, who helped Anthony to build his confidence. He also instilled in Tony a love for baseball.
Anonymous act of kindness and adulthood
“Every problem is a gift – without problems we would not grow.”
When Anthony was 13 his family struggled financially to the point that on Thanksgiving Eve, his parents could not afford to buy their children presents or have a Thanksgiving dinner.
That night someone left a Thanksgiving basket on their doorsteps. To the Robbins’ family it was a little miracle and the whole family enjoyed the celebration. This act of kindness had a profound effect on Anthony and he promised himself that one day he would make enough money and help others as well.
As he grew older, his relationships with his mother became more and more strained. She depended on Tony for cooking, cleaning, making repairs around the house and she was very strict when her expectations were not met.
On Christmas Eve 1977, at the age of 17, Tony decided that he had had enough of his mother’s care and control. He walked out of the house with nothing but the clothes he had on, eager to make it on his own.






