A week or two ago I posted the novella below on a self-proclaimed Tony Robbins fan site. I'm not sure why I did it, as I never visit the site and was just passing through. I believe it will do more good here than there as hardly anyone posts or reads that site. The topic was:
"HOW TONY ROBBINS INSPIRED ME!"
"You asked, I'll tell..."
ON GET THE EDGE
I was very skeptical when I ordered Get The Edge (May 2003), but being desperately in need of help, I took a chance. There was something about Tony that struck a cord with me. However, I will admit that I watched his infomercial for 5 months "before" I ordered the CDs. Mostly because I did not have the money and I felt it was dishonest to order the CDs and then send them back. (NO... I still have them!)
The longer I watched the more desperate I got... Finally after 5 months I called and asked for the number of customer service. I do reviewing, but I knew how badly I needed those CDs and I WOULD NOT ask to review them. I told them my problem and asked if they ever had discounts. To this day I am not sure if there really was a promotion, but the man I spoke to took off $100 from the package and STILL told me I could return the package in 30 days. I NEVER returned it!
When I got the CDs I "admired" (smiling broadly as I type this) the packaging. I was impressed with the way it looked! I looked at it for one week using the excuse that I needed to go out and buy a disk player so that I could walk and listen and/or listen away from the computer.
Finally I said to myself: "Self, you really have to try these in case they really are NOT good and have to go back." I gingerly put the CD in the CD player of my computer and began to listen. I listened to the program as I was instructed to:
-
Tape 1 -- Get The Edge
- I believe it was suggested that we could listen to the end tape of Focus.
I did this and cried with Tony when he talked about his father-in-law. I had lost my best friend in a similar manner.
- Tape 1 -- Personal Power Classic
- Tape 2 -- Personal Power Classic -- Pain & Pleasure
PAIN & PLEASURE was the one that did it for me. UNTIL THEN I did not feel much excitement or a feeling that things were going to change. When I started to do the exercise, I realized why I WAS doing and NOT doing certain things. It all became crystal clear. I have listened to that CD many more times than I care to count!
NOTE: It was never that I felt the program was not good, I just felt it might not work "for me!" After all, I was not having much success in anything at that point and for sure could not count on myself for anything! (I was shattered after 911 -- living in NYC and being in Manhattan that day I was destroyed and could not seem to find my way back!)
PAIN & PLEASURE did it for me. I knew that I was eating for comfort. I had gained back the 20 pounds I had lost before 911. I gained it back because I was eating "comfort food," like many others and NOT because I was hungry. I am/was not unique in any of this.
NOTE II: I did find out in the middle of UPW why I was so shattered after 911 and why I could not find my way back: "I LOST my CERTAINTY!" I lost the feeling of security and would never know it again. Once I realized that everything changed!
PAIN & PLEASURE was the turning point for me.
I went through Get The Edge (it took longer than a month) and Personal Power II (I started and stopped this a few times, but finally got through it in one shot. I cried in utter elation when I realized I had finished it. I had not realized I was at the end!)
I also attended Unleash The Power Within complimentary of Tony's generosity after I gave a testimonial on National TV when he was on QVC (Over the phone!) I had been doing Get The Edge for about five weeks when I gave the first testimonial. I can still remember how nervous I was, but I remembered what Tony said on one of the tapes... (paraphrasing in my own words here) Something like we only get one chance sometimes and if we don't take it it might not come around again! I felt if I did not call to talk to him that night I might never have the chance.)
One year later I gave another Testimonial in the way of "thanking Tony" live on National TV. I could not get near him at UPW and it was VERY important to me to thank him for helping me when no one else would. I did not want him to think that I just took the ticket lightly. He did for me, what no one else would.
Let's put it this way, before I did Get The Edge I could not even see a light at the end of the tunnel. Once I started it I saw a glimmer and now I see a huge fire! Living in NYC after 911 I was done in.
Get The Edge helped me to learn to depend on myself again. (I was always independent and a survivor!)
I lost 23 pounds (the 20 plus 3) - not so much from dieting, but from walking, "deciding" when I ate whether it was going to be painful/regretful AFTER I ate it and ate for pleasure when I wanted to. In other words I decided if I wanted the pleasure of the food or the pain/regret afterwards. When I felt it would be painful afterwards I "did not" eat the food. It was easy, especially after I started to lose the weight. It's still a struggle, but I worked too hard to go backwards.
I also changed the way that I think. I no longer feel if something does not work that I failed. I feel that "I learned something" and now I know what does not work. I then go on to do something different and if that does not work, I try again UNTIL I reach the outcome that I am looking for. All the time being positive and excited about what I am doing. Before that, I was shattered when things did not work and I put so much of myself into them.
This has kept me focused for 18 months so far. NOW that I know -- AGAIN -- what it is to be happy I HAVE something to measure from. BEFORE I could not remember being happy EVER! I could NOT understand how I got where I was.
I also take time "each day" to be grateful. It was not that I was ungrateful before, but I never gave it much thought. I realized that I had lots to be grateful for, but it was just in passing. I suppose you could say that I took things for granted like many others. NOW... that I take time to be grateful I find many more people doing the same things. I guess I just never looked before!
As well, I have learned to count my blessings and I am trying to demonstrate to others that they have things in their lives to be grateful for as well. To me, NOW... every little thing that happens is a blessing. I have learned to turn negatives into positives and usually demonstrate it through my art. It becomes fun and "feels good!"
My entire life changed after I did Get The Edge. Got a little confusing after Unleash The Power Within because I dealt with the issues I had when I went and when I came back I had new ones. Let's call it growing pains. However, It got better after Personal Power II. Also, it takes time. It's a lot of work. I suppose some can do it quickly, but everything in my life was in disarray so I had a lot to fix. (As I said to Tony via my testimonial: "If I was not happy with me, I could not expect anyone else to be! So I worked on me first!")
One has to be ready to do the program. It is NOT magic. It's lots of hard work. It's not rocket science and all makes sense, but it helps when the person helping IS encouraging you and NOT telling you what you can't do. (I came from a dysfunctional family like a lot of other people and the one thing that Tony said that made a huge difference right off was: "Your past is NOT your future!" That tore down the barriers immediately, NEVER to go up again!)
Trust me, I am not where I want to be, but I am much, much, much further ahead than I was. My life is different. I am happy, I feel strong and have accomplished lots of the goals I set for myself. I still have some major ones to do, but when I look back at how far I have come I know I can do it!
I wish I could have a personal coach as one sometimes needs that personal touch, but I am more than a little financially challenged right now and that is not in the cards for me -- right now. This is a major drawback, but I will just keep plugging ahead!
BTW, who cares if Tony got divorced. Did anyone ever think that someone CAN help others because they learned from their own mistakes. I would NEVER condemn him for getting divorced and then telling others how to build their relationships. That is utter nonsense.
Perhaps I look at things differently because I am older, but I have lived a lot of life and my only regret is that I NEVER knew about Tony Robbins before. My life would have been so much different.
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I hope this helps someone else.
Roz