I first read Tony Robbins’ book Unlimited Power in my thirties, soon followed by its sequel Awaken the Giant within. Without exaggerating, these two books changed my life, gave me new direction, new purpose. Now at midlife, I have re-read these two books and found the words as inspiring and as motivating as they were when I first read them. I often quote from Tony’s books during our Personal Empowerment Workshops. The books are thick and it takes quite a while to read through them, but I encourage you to do so. To give you a taste, I have collected 13 quotes from his books that I find particularly inspiring in midlife:
Midlife is the time of your life to focus on the present moment: “Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”
― Anthony Robbins
Do not regret the mistakes you made in the first half of your life. Learn from past mistakes to ensure success in the second part of your life : “I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. ”
― Anthony Robbins
Midlife is the perfect time, for once and for all, to take control of your life: “In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”
― Anthony Robbins
You are never to old to embark on a new adventure, to dream big and to make your dreams come true. Midlife is a time of change, so change! “We’ve all heard about people who’ve exploded beyond the limitations of their conditions to become examples of the unlimited power of the human spirit. You and I can make our lives one of these legendary inspirations, as well, simply by having courage and the awareness that we can control whatever happens in our lives. Although we cannot always control the events in our lives, we can always control our response to them, and the actions we take as a result. If there’s anything you’re not happy about–in your relationships, in your health, in your career–make a decision right now about how you’re going to change it immediately.”
― Anthony Robbins
Realise, at midlife, that time is running out, if you do not make the decision to change now, it may be too late later: “Many people say, “Well, I’d love to make a decision like that, but I’m not sure how I could change my life.” They’re paralyzed by the fear that they don’t know exactly how to turn their dreams into reality. And as a result, they never make the decisions that could make their lives into the masterpieces they deserve to be. I’m here to tell you that it’s not important initially to know how you’re going to create a result. What’s important is to decide you will find a way, no matter what.”
― Anthony Robbins
Midlife is a time of opportunity: “You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don’t think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully.”
― Anthony Robbins
Seize the moment. Expect midlife miracles. Change yourself and your life now while you still can :« You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person you stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you’ve been waiting for to fall into place. If you really want your life to be passionate, you need to live with this attitude of expectancy.”
― Anthony Robbins
Midlife is a good time to step out of your comfort zone. Get rid of the limiting beliefs, the blockages, the fear holding you back: “The birth of excellence begins with our awareness that our beliefs are a choice. We usually don’t think of it that way, but belief can be a conscious choice. You can choose beliefs that limit you, or you can choose beliefs that support you. The trick is to choose the beliefs that are conducive to success and the results you want and to discard the ones that hold you back. Remember: we all get what we tolerate. So stop tolerating excuses within yourself, limiting beliefs of the past, or half-assed or fearful states. Use your body as a tool to snap yourself into a place of sheer will, determination, and commitment. Face your challenges head on with the core belief that problems are just speed bumps on the road to your dreams. And from that place, when you take massive action—with an effective and proven strategy – you will rewrite your history.”
― Anthony Robbins
In midlife, be mindful of your mood. Control your moods, do not let your moods dictate your actions. “Why not make cheerfulness, outrageousness, playfulness a new priority for yourself? Make feeling good your expectation. You don’t have to have a reason to feel good – you’re alive; you can feel good for no reason at all!”
― Anthony Robbins
« No » is not always « No », it might just mean « Not yet ». If you have been unable to realise a dream you have had for years, maybe midlife is the right time for it; have another go. “One belief that I’ve developed to carry me through extremely tough times is simply this: God’s delays are not God’s denials.”
― Anthony Robbins
If during the first half of your life, you had little time/money/energy for charity, midlife is a good time to starting giving. Generously. “The fastest way to feel connection, a sense of how significant your life is, a deep sense of certainty and variety, and put yourself in a state where you can give to others, is to find a way each day to appreciate more and expect less. Sir John Templeton, not only the world’s greatest investor but also one of the greatest human beings, shared something with me almost 30 years ago: he said that he’s never known anyone who tithed—meaning the person gave 8% or 10% of what he earned to religious or charitable organizations over a ten-year period—who didn’t massively grow his financial wealth. I will tell you, though, if you won’t give a dime out of a dollar, you won’t give $1 million out of $10 million. The time to give is now! When I had nothing, I began this process. The reward is that if you give, even at the times when you think you have very little, you’ll teach your brain that there is more than enough. You can leave scarcity behind and move toward a world of abundance. ”
― Anthony Robbins
Midlife is a good time to create balance in your life: “What’s the point of massive achievement if your life has no balance? And what’s the point of winning the game if you never take the time to celebrate and appreciate the life you have? There’s nothing worse than a rich person who’s chronically angry or unhappy. Meaning does not come from what you get, it comes from what you give. Ultimately, what you get will never make you happy long term. But who you become and what you contribute will. ”
― Anthony Robbins
It is NEVER too late – midlife can be a new beginning « After being married for 58 years, her husband died, and we all watched as she suffered. For ten years, Hilda cried herself to sleep at night. She was living on her own, proud and independent, but heart-achingly lonely, missing her life partner. We didn’t have the heart to put her in a home, yet with Hilda’s dementia worsening, Sharon was determined to find her a home with the best possible care. We had heard that some retirement communities were pretty spectacular, and after weeks of looking, Sharon finally found a community that gave the Four Seasons a run for its money—this place is amazing. I always said I’d stay there, and I don’t say that about many places. So guess what happened to Grandmom after moving into her new digs? Forget that she traded up to a beautiful new apartment with modern amenities and 24-hour care. That was just the tip of the iceberg. More amazing than that, she began a second life! At 88 years old, she transformed into a new woman and fell in love again. A 92-year-old Italian captured her heart. (“I don’t let him under my shirt yet, but he tries all the time,” she said with a grin.) They had four beautiful years together before he passed away, and I kid you not, at his funeral, she met her next beau. Her last decade was filled with a quality of life she never could have envisioned. She found happiness, joy, love, and friendship again. It was an unexpected last chapter of her life and a reminder that love is the ultimate wealth. It can show up unexpected anytime, anywhere—and it is never too late.”
― Anthony Robbins
If you are interested in reading Tony Robbins’ books, for midlife motivation, you can find out more about them here:
Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement
Both of these books sit on a shelf of the bookcase in our guest wing, where we guests attending our Personl Empowerment Workshops have their bedrooms. For more Tony Robbins quotes, follow me on twitter:
“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” – Tony Robbins
— EquineGuidedMD (@EquineGuidedMD) January 21, 2016
Margaretha Montagu – Mpowering women to live the second half of their lives with renewed passion.
Dr. Margaretha Montegu is a medical doctor with 20 years of experience helping her patients manage stress so as to avoid physical disease and psychological distress. 8 years ago she left medical practice to concentrate on prevention rather than cure and now hosts Mindfulness Meditation Retreats, assisted by 6 super-smart horses, in the south of France.
If you are interested in attending a Mindfulness Meditation Retreat here at Les Sources Sacrées in the sun-blessed south of France, or if you would like to find out more about it, please e-mail us on welcome2gascony@gmail.com or leave us a message below. Goes without saying that you e-mail address is perfectly safe, we will never share it.
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Love these inspirational quotes! Especially about focusing on the present moment – this is something I have become mindful of and am really trying to work on.
IT is certainly not easy – so easy to get distracted – but so worthwhile doing.
Some great wisdom and motivation in these quotes!
I love both these books! In fact one of the quotes in this post, motivated me to get out of an abusive relationship, and move on.
You are never to old to embark on a new adventure, to dream big and to make your dreams come true. Midlife is a time of change, so change! “We’ve all heard about people who’ve exploded beyond the limitations of their conditions to become examples of the unlimited power of the human spirit. You and I can make our lives one of these legendary inspirations, as well, simply by having courage and the awareness that we can control whatever happens in our lives. Although we cannot always control the events in our lives, we can always control our response to them, and the actions we take as a result. If there’s anything you’re not happy about–in your relationships, in your health, in your career–make a decision right now about how you’re going to change it immediately.”
― Anthony Robbins
Thank you for always being such a source of inspiration!
Likewise, Maria! Getting out of an abusive relationship is no walk in the park, many women try but fail and go back again and again. Only a very small number succeed in leaving and moving on – I am very glad that you are one of those. The fact that you succeeded inspires others to do the same. And very true what he says about being able to control our reactions to events, if not the events themselves.
Thank you!