There’s a buzz in the air about the new Tony Robbins tv show, “Breakthrough,” and it reminded me of the time I attended a full-day motivational workshop – over 15 years ago. There are several things I remember from that day that are permanently branded in my system:

1. Be Authentic. There is no doubt in your mind that Tony is for real. His conversational style, his mesmerizing voice, and his wealth of real-life stories put the stamp on his sincerity.

2. Oh Yes! Tony explained that when he’s in his hotel room, getting pumped up for the session, he looks in the mirror, claps his hands, and says “Oh, yes!” I’ve told this story many times to nervous presenters. Belief + attitude will certainly help to put you in a positive frame of mind for your presentation.

3. The Back Rub. The session was held in a crowded hotel ballroom. Members of the audience were seated on very uncomfortable metal chairs. In order to keep the energy up in the afternoon, Tony had us take a back rub break every 20 minutes. Everyone would stand, pick a person standing nearby, and give him or her a very vigorous back rub (but only if you felt comfortable doing that), and then switch. If you wanted something a little less intimate, he suggested karate chops on the back. How fun! That was a great energizer and never failed to create lots of noise and laughter throughout the room. It worked! Great idea – always gauge the energy level of your audience and have some fun at the same time. You can create your own buzz.

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