What’s the Truth, Damn It?
Tony Robbins is a wildly successful self-help guru; however, since he called his Netflix documentary, Tony Robbins, I Am Not Your Guru, he would likely take exception to me calling him a guru. Oh well! In the documentary, Tony is shown intervening with conference attendees to understand their current situation and the core issue that is holding them back. In one such intervention, a young woman said she was having problems with her diet and after multiple questions, Tony strips the prime issue to its core - she was damaged, damaged while being emotionally abused by her alcoholic father.
Tony, in a side interview, summarizes the typical seminar attendee, “to think this started with dietary…people present low level stuff…they engage with low level things and make it big, so they don’t have to focus on the bigger things that scare us…” Ok, getting a little too close to home for me!
Tony then says to the entire conference audience, “Everyone’s biggest problem is they think they shouldn’t have problems. Problems are what make us grow. Problems help sculpt our soul. Problems help us become more! If we can only realize that life is not happening TO us. Life is happening FOR us! GAME OVER!”
Picture this scene from the movie Rocky III - Rocky had just been beaten badly by Clubber Lange (Mr. T). His past nemesis, Apollo Creed emerges and encourages Rocky, bullies him really, into a re-match with Clubber and regaining the Eye of the Tiger. After weeks of half-hearted training and a less than encouraging run on the beach, his wife Adrian confronts Rocky, “Why don’t you tell me the truth?”
Rocky responds with a wishy-washy, truth-avoiding answer – an answer I would likely give – “What are you putting me through Adrian? You wanna know the truth? The truth is I don’t want to lose what I’ve got…. I don’t want to lose what I’ve got!”
Adrian, not giving an inch, responds, “What do we have that can’t be replaced? WHAT? A house, we’ve got cars, we’ve got MONEY! We got everything but the truth. WHAT’S THE TRUTH, DAMN IT?!”
Rocky lets go, “I’M AFRAID! YOU WANT TO HEAR ME SAY IT?... For the first time in my life, I’m afraid.”
Not sure about you but this is profound for me. When I find myself holding back, finding excuses, or being too busy to try something new, its wrapped in some aspect of “I’m afraid!” Fear of failure, fear of people’s judging.
Tony Robbin’s encourages me to Live from the Soul. His quotes encourage me to push on and to DARE to live the life I’m meant to live:
“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”
“The only thing keeping you from getting what you want is the STORY you keep telling yourself about why you can’t have it.”
“What is an Extraordinary Life? A life of meaning, a magnificent life, a life of joy, happiness, love, passion, success, and fulfillment. Life experienced on your terms.”
“There are no failures, only outcomes. As long as I learn something, I am succeeding.”
My question for you: Are you living from your SOUL?