Why this book? I prefer to simply share my experience, rather than try to sell you something. I consider the fact that you are reading this right now evidence that proves you are a smart person, because only smart people pay attention to me. You are an intelligent person with good judgement, so I will tell what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now, and leave you to make your own decisions.
I was in pretty rough shape...
I had been lying on my couch for about six days. Even the smallest movements caused a thousand needle sharp shards of pain to shoot through every fiber of every muscle, every bone, joint, and every cell of any other body part or organ I was unfortunate enough to be inhabiting at the time. At the end of the sofa was a television. It was left on the community channel 24/7 so I could watch the clock. On the rare occasions I slept for more than ten minutes at a time, I was claiming victory. I'd given up going to doctors with this where nothing was done, and I was treated as if I was faking. Being in need of a disability check can cause people to become suspicious.
I figured I was dieing and was perplexed at why it was taking me so long. I had heard a body cannot survive more than three days without food or water. This was day six, so I gave up on dieing.
I felt I was getting past the worst of it. This wasn't my first bout, so I knew that they passed. The pain, shaking, and weakness on my right side would remain, but not so bad that I couldn't stand up and take a few steps.
Across the living room was the computer my teen children had promised me free housework for life to buy. The last of the precious money I had from when I was working went on the purchase. It was worth it to hear them say they would help me clean the house.
When I was working, I considered the computer a waste of time best left to the children, but considerable time couch ridden in the same room as them had taught me enough to know how google something. I liked the YouTube videos they showed me.
I went to YouTube because I wasn't going to be able to sit up for long, and thought it might be nice to listen to something helpful while lying down. I searched "help me" and saw many versions of the Beatles song. That wasn't going to do it for me.
This is when I laughed at myself for remembering Tony Robbins in the movie Shallow Hal, and how he was the guy who could fix everyone's problems. I thought he was a joke. I needed a good laugh, so I searched Tony Robbins.
I watched a couple of short videos from the eighties and managed a chuckle. Like seriously, this goofy guy was going to solve my impossible situation? Lol, okay, I needed to get back to the couch. I found a long one, "Tony Robbins Seminar in Japan". I clicked on it and limped back to the sofa.
After lying there for a time, some of what he had to say was starting to make sense. I thought about how I had already tried every pill, therapy, twelve step program, and alternative medicine healing thing I could find, and I had given up thinking there was any help for me. Why not try this? What do I have to lose? I'm bored silly anyway, and my body refuses to die, so why not let this duffus entertain me?
I naturally began studying NLP (neuro linguistic programming) as this was what Tony had studied, and fell in love with the idea that maybe all of my problems were being caused by my own poorly programed brain. I taught myself to walk again, without a limp. I quit drinking. My health improved. For the first time in a long time I felt hopeful.
I wanted more so I googled Tony, called the number I found, and asked how much to buy one of his programs. It was over three hundred dollars. I told the nice young man on the other end of the line I didn't have that kind of money. I was surprised at how easy going he was about it and offered no sales pitch.
He just said "That's okay. If you go to your local book store and buy a copy of Awaken the Giant Within, that'll tell you anything you need to know."
It cost me $20 Canadian, that was $16 US, and it was a good deal. It's a big book, with over 500 pages of good advice, useful information, inspiring stories, and little exercises you can do. I didn't follow everything to the letter, because I'm just not like that, but there was plenty in there for me to think about and do. I'm not too fond of his dieting advice, but I do pay attention to what I eat now, knowing healthy food is the best fuel.
Another thing I really like about this book is the best quotes are written in bold. When I was in detox, and my eyesight was too poor to see fine print, I was able to go through the whole book, reading only the parts I could see.
It's on my coffee table right now. I can see "The past doesn't equal the future" and "All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs". This is just from where the book fell open. Now that I have it out, I think I will read the bold print parts again. It's very inspiring. Seven years later and I'm still referring back to it from time to time.
I checked in with myself at the one year point. I was still broke but I was certainly more successful than I was, I was happy, and I wasn't dying anymore.
I learned success isn't just about money. Money is good, but so is health, relationships, self esteem, contribution, and happiness.
Today Mr. Robbins isn't such a huge part of my life anymore. I learned all that could be useful, then moved on to other teachers to find out what they have that works. Quite frankly, I'm not that thrilled with what Tony's up to today. I think his old stuff is better. Awaken the Giant Within is, in my humble opinion, his best work.
My life is not yet perfect. I still have a little bit of fibromyalgia and essential tremor left over, but nothing compared to what it once was. I have regained full use of the right side of my body. I am sober. I live in a lovely little cottage by the beach, a vast improvement over the where I once lived. I have a loving relationship with my family. I have a YouTube channel that helps a lot of people. I like myself. I'm not wealthy, after some changes at YouTube I'm still earning slightly less than my monthly expenses, but I'm certainly better off than I was, my income is slowly increasing, and I am feeling hopeful about the future. If you do buy a copy of this book, I will earn a small commission and this would be very helpful.
I highly recommend Awaken the Giant Within, not just to those who are in a terrible place, but to anyone who would like to enjoy more success in anything they would like to be successful in.
