DVD Review: Conquering Overwhelming Loss (Inner Strength Films)

by Anthony Robbins and Cloe Madanes
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One of Tony Robbins’ lesser known projects is his powerful series of Inner Strength Films with psychotherapist Cloe Madanes. Each video was filmed during one of Tony Robbins’ conferences where a member of the audience stood up and revealed a major problem they were having. During the intervention, Tony uncovers the heart of the audience member’s problem and works with them to break free from their fears and limiting behaviors. Throughout the videos, Cloe provides voiceovers explaining why Tony uses the words and actions he does and offers advice to viewers about how they can put Tony’s suggestions into action in their own lives.

In Conquering Overwhelming Loss, Jim stands up and admits he’s thinking of suicide. Jim was a successful business man who lost everything in a matter of a few days because of a bad investment. To make things worse, he not only lost his own money, he lost a large amount of a dear friend’s life savings as well. Unable to live with his guilt, he set up his friend as the beneficiary of his life insurance policy and has been contemplating ways to kill himself so she will get her money back.

Tony’s first step is to get Jim to see that suicide is not the answer he’s been craving. When Tony first talks with him, he is extremely harsh - his only goal is to make Jim see that suicide is not the answer. Tony explains that if Jim kills himself, his life insurance company won’t pay, despite what he thinks. He then switches focus to the guilt his friend will feel if she knows Jim killed himself for her. He also brings up Jim’s mother and others in Jim’s life that value his life over his money and tries to show Jim that by killing himself, he’s not making a sacrifice but hurting those he loves.

Once Tony gets Jim to see that suicide isn’t an easy out, he digs deeper to uncover the psychological roots of Jim’s problem. Because of his business failure, Jim feels he’s lost his identity - his business and work had previously defined how he saw himself. Tony goes through the 6 human needs (certainty, variety, significance, connection/love, growth, and contribution) and points out that like many men, Jim’s primary need is for significance. He needs others to see him as a successful business man who makes great contributions to the world.

As Tony and Jim talk, Cloe explains the process for Tony’s intervention including the 7 steps Tony will address for Jim to create a compelling future. She also describes why Jim has been clinging to despair and that even though despair is destructive, it fills each of the 6 human needs so it’s difficult to break free from.

This is a fantastic video for anyone lost in despair or hopelessness - or for families of people trapped in despair. Jim’s raw emotion comes through as he first becomes mad at Tony, gradually starts to regain trust, sees that suicide is not the answer, and finally considers other options to take responsibility for his life, pay off his debts, and start a new business. At the end of the video, Tony sits down with Jim one year later, and Jim’s life has completely changed for the better.

The dvd comes with a downloadable 36 page workbook that offers cliff notes on Tony’s 6 human needs and how they affect relationships as well as exercises to put Tony’s steps for creating a compelling future into practice.

Check out Anthony Robbins’ Inner Strength Films!