Tony Robbins: 5 Secrets For Influencing Millions Of People

Discover how world-renowned speaker Tony Robbins is spreading his message around the world.

What is your main aim when you stand up in front of people and speak?

Sure, you want to get your story out there. You want people to listen and respond positively to what you have to say.

But there’s a wider goal that all speakers reach for.

You want to influence other people to take action based on your words.

You want them to listen to your story and use it to inspire them towards something new in their lives.

When you speak, you’re essentially selling your story. You’re asking people to listen to what you have to say and trying to influence them to make a decision based on your words.

In that respect, the speaker is much like the salesperson. And both need to master the art of influence to master their craft.

When it comes to influencing people, there’s perhaps no greater authority than Tony Robbins. His sales and speaking expertise has influenced the decisions of many global companies and some of the most successful people in the world. Robbins understands how to use his words, stories, and emotions to influence others.

You can learn from him.

Who is Tony Robbins?

Tony Robbins has been an influential figure on the business scene for over four decades.

But to know what built him into the monolith of speaking you see today, you need to go back to his early years.

Robbins’ early career saw him working alongside another famed speaker – Jim Rohn. In many ways, Rohn’s career provided a map for the route that Robbins would later follow. A speaker and author, Rohn was also an entrepreneur with a deep understanding of the business world.

Robbins promoted events and releases on behalf of Rohn. More importantly, he learned from Rohn that material possessions aren’t the key to happiness. Instead, it’s what you do with the resources that you have available that determines your happiness.

That’s a lesson that Robbins takes into everything that he does.

Rohn’s work inspired and influenced Robbins. Towards the end of the 1980s, Robbins started to forge his own path as a speaker and business consultant.

Fast-forward to today and Robbins can claim that he’s influenced over 50 million people with his writing and speaking. The author of six bestselling books, Robbins also tours the globe to speak about his life training programs. In total, he’s spoken to over 4 million people.

More importantly, his unique combination of humour and expertise has had a transformative effect on many. From Fortune 500 companies through to regular people, Robbins has influenced many to make positive changes.

He can also inspire you to become a more influential speaker.

Tony Robbins’ Secrets

You now have one burning question.

How do you influence people in the same way as Tony Robbins?

Thankfully, Robbins isn’t shy about sharing the wealth. He’s more than happy to offer some insight into his techniques. These secrets will help you to master the art of influencing.

Secret #1 – Understand the Power of Words

Speakers Institute often talks about the importance of injecting emotion into your speaking. Even something as simple as a single word can transform a speech. It’s up to you to harness the emotional power of the words that you use. Doing so helps you to deliver influential speeches.

Robbins has his own take on the power of words. He says, “When it comes to language, <words are> really important because language produces emotion.”

“Learn which words move you forward and pull you back. The words that pull you back – get rid of them.”

Robbins goes on to say that words like “depressed” can have a devastating effect on a speaker’s emotions. If you’re using such words, you’re affecting your own sense of wellbeing. That comes across in your speaking.

Here’s the point. The words that you use all have emotional weight. It’s up to you to balance that weight. If the emotion attached to the words you use pulls you back, it’s going to do the same to your audience. Learn which words move you forward and incorporate more of them into your speaking.

You’ll have a more positive influence and keep your audience on board as you speak.

Secret #2 – Influence by Association

Robbins also has another powerful weapon in his arsenal.

He ensures that he’s seen with the right people at the right times. Robbins hobnobs with other influencers for a simple reason.

A combination of influential personalities boosts your influence further.

Just conduct a Google image search using Robbins’ name. You’ll see him photographed with influencers from practically every field. He's networked with business tycoons, like Richard Branson, and former world leaders, like Bill Clinton.

But it’s not a case of name-dropping. Robbins’ association with other influencers is his way of building a network. He offers something of value to them, just like they do to him.

He’s building relationships.

You can do the same. While you may not have access to the same sort of influencers, you can still build your network. Attend business events and get in front of the key influencers in your sector. Associate with these influencers and others will know that your words carry weight. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t have people wanting to associate with you.

This lends credibility to your speaking, which increases your powers of influence.

Secret #3 – Know Your Audience

Do you know what Tony Robbins does before he speaks at an event?

He does what he calls his “homework”. This involves finding out as much as possible about the people attending the event. In some cases, he even interviews attendees to get direct answers from them.

He says: “…The more you understand what somebody wants, needs, and fears, the more you can figure out how to add value.”

“Add value” is the key phrase here.

Speaking isn’t just about telling your story.

Sure, people want to hear what you have to say. But they’re attending because they have their own problems and pain points. They’re hoping to learn something that helps them to solve these issues.

That’s where knowing your audience becomes important. The research you conduct offers you some insight into what your audience intends to achieve when they watch you speak.

It’s not about you telling people your story.

It’s about making them feel something and helping them to use that to find answers.

Secret #4 – Prepare Your Body and Brain

At its heart, speaking is a performance. You’re standing up in front of people and putting on a show.

How much you throw into that show, especially physically, is up to you.

But it’s important to prepare for what you have in store.

Robbins has a pre-speech ritual that he always follows.

This preparation starts hours before he arrives at the venue. Robbins starts his mornings with a dip into a cold pool. The aim is to wake his body up and get his mind whirring as quickly as possible.

Once he’s at the venue, he has another set of rituals. Robbins performs an array of breathing and voice exercises. He meditates and he even has a trampoline that he bounces on before hitting the stage.

All of this prepares his mind and body for the performance. And it is through the energy that he injects into his performance that he’s able to influence people.

Secret #5 – Showcase Your Passion

Robbins constantly makes the point about adding value to your speaking. You have a unique story to share with people. You want to show them what makes your speaking unique.

But you can’t do that if you have no passion for your subject.

A lack of passion means a lack of authenticity. You just recite a speech instead of making people feel what you have to say.

As Robbins says: “Don't ever speak publicly about anything that you're not passionate about and that you don't actually believe you have something truly unique to deliver.”

You can’t influence people if you don’t understand or care about the subject of your speaking. Even worse, you damage your reputation when you take a half-hearted approach. You can undo all of your hard work when you take on a speaking event that’s outside of your area of expertise. Even one dispassionate speech can cast a shadow on the rest of your work.

Know what you care about and have expertise in. That way, you can influence others because you’re more authentic.

Conclusion

The power of Robbins’ speaking comes from his understanding of the art of influence. He only speaks about subjects that he has knowledge and passion for. He learns about his audience and what they want. Plus, he prepares his body to ensure he delivers maximum energy when he’s on stage. On top of all of that, he constantly networks with other influencers.

But perhaps most importantly, he understands the power of words. He knows which words inspire different emotions and how to use them to influence others.

You can learn all of this and much more with Speakers Institute. We can help you to harness the power of Tony Robbins’ secrets to become a more influential speaker. Do the following to get started.

Attend a FREE Speakers Institute event near you.
Take part in one of our three-day speaking bootcamps.
Get in touch with the team to arrange a consultation.

Sam CawthornJuly 1, 2018