The book that didn’t change my life

When I was a kid, my sister came home with a book she claimed could give you superpowers. People said that after reading it, they could levitate. I had no idea what that meant, but I was sold. The book was Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins.

Not only I didn't know what the title meant, I didn't speak English. This edition didn't have the picture of the author. Instead it had a mysterious silhouette hovering just above the ground. Try as I may, I couldn't get past the first page, since I was only reading the words as they would sound in French without ever understanding a thing.

It would take 2 decades before my brother invited me to a real estate wealth expo at the Los Angeles Convention center. Looking through the pamphlet, the lineup included the likes of Silvester Stallone, Magic Johnson, Suze Orman. I was already sold. But then turn the page, on a section dedicated to just one speaker, Peak Performance Training by Tony Robbins. It was not too late to get my super powers.

The convention

The room was vast and cavernous, its high ceilings amplifying every cheer and clap, making the energy feel larger than life. Rows of folding chairs stretched endlessly, filled with attendees clutching branded tote bags and pamphlets. In the distance, a DJ spun upbeat tracks, his booth lit up with pulsing LEDs, as crowds danced in small pockets of excitement. It felt less like a business expo and more like a festival for ambition, a carnival of dreams waiting to be sold.

On stage, Stallone mumbled and Pitbull kept the energy alive. It was like a concert, except we paid a fraction of a concert ticket for such great seats. Suze Orman tackled financial questions with sharp precision, resolving audience members' financial woes in a single breath. Then we were sold a class on how to do just that. Magic Johnson took an hour to tell us all the amazing things he accomplished in his life, each was met with a standing ovation. Then he sat down. And we were sold a class on how to do just that.

Then Mr Robbins took to the stage. The energy shifted. The music boomed, the light flashed, and there he was. “You’re not here to watch; you’re here to awaken!” he roared, pacing like a man on fire. The crowd rose to their feet. He banged two sticks together in sync with music, it was electric.

When the music stopped and we sat back down, my heart was pumping. He had the voice of a giant. When he spoke to the audience, he made his way down into the crowd. People surrounded him as he shook hands and gave hugs throughout the entire arena. The moment the audience's energy went down by one 1 unit, the music blasted and Mr Robbins turned into a stallion and galloped through the stage. The crowd would rise again and energy was back up. I'm pretty sure Mr Worldwide was taking note.

His talk was a roller coaster of emotions. We stood up, danced, and hugged strangers. I hugged my brother like I never did before. A father and son sitting next to us burst into tears while they apologized for what they did to each other. Mr Robbins asked us to move seats. Move 3 seats down, and introduce yourself to a stranger and tell them something intimate about yourself. I found myself talking to people and opening up in a manner I never thought I would ever. We all held hands and swayed to the music as Mr Robbins helped us reach our peak performance. Note that this was a Real Estate Wealth Expo.

This was going to be a pretty good conclusion for the day. But we still had some speakers lined up. They may not have been as entertaining, but they were informative. In fact the format was, a big celebrity name followed by one or two course sellers. Then another celebrity followed by one or two more course sellers.

Walking out of the convention center that night, I felt unstoppable. If I could bottle the energy in that room, I’d be invincible. Right after Tony Robbins, there was a stock trading presentation. I didn’t hesitate. I signed up for the 3 day workshop for $99 where the speaker promised he would perform a trade on the open market and make at a minimum $500 right in front of us. I also ordered a copy of Mr Robbins latest book, Unshakeable. With my new super powers, $99 was chump change compared to what I was going to accomplish.

To this day, my brother and I recount the experience and how surreal it felt. My brother tells me that the details that he shared with a complete stranger that day is not something he is willing to say out loud. I feel just the same. If anyone can push you to your limits, and awaken the giant within, it's Tony Robbins.

The Course

But then I went to the stock trading class I signed up for. First of all, the speaker from the expo was nowhere to be found. It was a 3 day workshop held at the Sheraton Hotel by the LAX airport. "Where is the guy from two weeks ago?" The guy next to me asked as soon as the presentation started. "Is he gonna come today tomorrow or what?" He said in his Russian accent.

"No. He won't be joining us today unfortunately." Mike Coval, the instructor and founder of the company answered.

"He was very smart and interesting, I thought he would teach us today." The Russian immigrant added. His name was Yevgeny, and his face was in a permanent state of concern. It was an awkward start.

"He is a great friend of mine. Hopefully one day he will join our organization. But I don't think we can afford him." Mike said before a chuckle ensued.

On the first day of class, we had a general overview of what the stock market is and how it works. Half way through the class, we were given homework. We had to sign up for a service that was briefly described as essential to get started. It required all sorts of information about us including our income and social security. I hesitated before signing up. I was still pumped about what I could accomplish, but I didn't like that I didn't understand the service. I did it anyway.

The next day, on a Saturday, we went to the same hotel where we had our second day of class. Now was the moment of truth. Mike, the speaker, was going to execute a trade right in front of us and make $500. Through the projector, he opened up Internet Explorer, loaded his own proprietary website, purchased some options on a stock we had studied the day before, and performed a sleight of hand. There were some graphs, he selected a range, he clicked some buttons, boom boom boom, and on the screen, it appeared that he had made around $450 dollars.

Yevgeny raised a hand. "Excuse me," he said in his Russian accent and leaned forward. "Can you do that again?" Everyone laughed, but the Russian remained in his permanent state of concern. The explanation that we got was that the market moves and adapts, you can never do the same trick twice. But we were going to be taught how to read the market and how to develop a strategy for each scenario.

Before the end of class, the instructor asked for a show of hands from those who had completed the homework. Every single person raised their hand. "I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?" The crowd murmured. "Alright let's start with the bad news." He went to the next slide. On the screen was a description of the next step and its price. The next step was a 10 weeks program that would teach us how to make a trade in less than 2 minutes that will pay more than our day job. All for the price of $32,000. The gasps in the room were audible.

"And now for the good news. Every single one of you who completed the homework has been approved for a $32,000 loan to pay for it."

I kinda ignored everything he said after that. I was mingling in the lobby when Yevgeny walked up to me. He asked if I was going to sign up for the 10 weeks program. I said no. He asked why. I answered, "because the market is closed on the weekend. I don't know how and where he performed that trade."

"Thank you my friend." Yevgeny said. We shook hands and walked out of the building. I did not come back for the last day of class.

The books

I've just looked up the book "Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook" on amazon. I am not surprised by the thousands of positive reviews. Tony Robbins is magnetic. He has powers of persuasion unmatched by other human beings. When you are reading his book, you are rosy eyed, under his charm. You see what he wants you to see.

But here is what's in the book. From chapter one to chapter five, he presents ideas and promises that they will be further explored in chapter six. Once you get to chapter six, he points you to chapter two, where you will refer to later for answers. In chapter nine, he reminds you that the most important lessons are in chapter seven and you already read it.

By the time you finish, you’re left flipping back through pages, chasing clarity that never quite arrives. Mr. Robbins’ brilliance lies not in the content itself but in the allure of his delivery. He makes you believe the answers are just within reach, even if they aren’t.

Tony Robbins and all the other celebrities were at the convention for the sole purpose of putting you in a state of mind where you are susceptible to buying the course that follows. And I bet the companies that offer the courses pay top dollar for their placements. I checked the Investor workshop that I had paid for. Today, their 10 weeks program cost $5,000 per person. I'm pretty sure they were charging us $32,000 to recoup their placement right after Tony Robbins.

Looking back, I see Tony Robbins for what he is: a master of motivation. He didn’t give me superpowers, but he did teach me something valuable. Hype and inspiration are fleeting unless paired with action. And sometimes, the most important power is learning when to walk away.

---