November 19, 2017
What is the Tony Robbins firewalk?
What is firewalking?
Firewalking is an ancient ritual practiced by different cultures around the world to demonstrate strength, courage and faith. As the ultimate metaphor for working through life’s challenges and obstacles – and our own fears and insecurities about them – firewalking is a potent symbol of all that is possible when you take those first literal steps to a freer, more fulfilling future.
We, as human beings, tend to develop patterns over time, and many of them result in a less than desirable life. We develop unhealthy habits that lead to limiting beliefs and these beliefs cause us to feel “less than” in some parts of our lives. Often it happens that even if we are successful in one area of our lives, such as relationships, we are lacking in another part, like health, for instance. That is what the firewalk activity at Unleash the Power Within is all about. It’s about pushing through any and all limitations to become a better version of yourself. It is not about positive thinking – it’s about finding the tools you need to dig up everything it requires inside of you to take your life to the next level. It’s about finding the strength within so that you can create the extraordinary quality of life that you deserve. The firewalk is where that lesson begins.
As Tony told the Huffington Post a few years back:
“We are trained, almost innately, to be scared of fire and to keep away from it. That is why walking through a pathway of fire is a powerful expression of moving beyond one’s fears. Walking over any hot surface does encompass some risks, but it has been done safely for centuries, and when administered properly can have enormous value as a reminder of what we are truly capable of. And again, it’s not some magical mind-over-matter process. As I tell people in our events… anyone can walk on fire! Anyone can also be up at 5am, excited about their life! Anyone can start their day with a killer workout! Anyone can find a way to master a craft and find meaning in their work! Anyone can have a passionate and loving relationship! Anyone can, but… few people do! What people can do is amazing… what they will do is too often disappointing.”
Firewalking – like life – is not completely without risks. But those risks pale in comparison to the rewards.
Benefits of firewalk activity
1. It helps people change their minds.
Many approach the firewalk activity with hesitation or downright denial that they can or will do it. With coaching from Tony and other participants, most people change their minds and willingly walk over the hot coals. This is a powerful lesson of what we can achieve when we simply change our minds and tell ourselves we are capable of anything.
2. It gets people out of their comfort zones.
We all develop habits based on what we know and what has worked for us in the past. While some of these are healthy habits, others keep us complacent and lead to stagnation. Firewalking is so out of most people’s comfort zones that it shakes up old habits quickly and leads to rapid change and growth.
3. It increases responsibility.
No one is forced to perform the fire walk activity. Each participant must make their own decision to walk on the coals and be the master of their emotions before, during and after the activity. Once participants realize that they hold sole responsibility for their thoughts, actions and lives, they feel much more empowered.
4. It fosters instant connections.
Participants in firewalking tend to form instant connections with others also performing the activity. Synchronized heart rates, adrenaline rushes and exposure to something completely new and perceived as dangerous often creates lifelong bonds. Whether participants arrive with family members or co-workers they’re hoping to strengthen relationships with, or if they form attachments with participants who were previously strangers, the experience is a transformative one.
Preparing for a firewalk activity
We prepare our participants to successfully walk over the fire by guiding and instructing them on how to follow these four principles:
1. You must be in a peak “state.”
Firewalkers must possess a deep sense of certainty and self-assuredness. We train participants to face their fears and break their negative habits through physicality, focus and language. The energetic and supportive group environment is critical to helping participants get and stay in their peak “state.”
2. You must walk at a normal pace.
Participants don’t run across the coals in the firewalk activity; they walk. Running pushes your feet deeper into the embers, which can burn the tops of the feet. We train participants to walk straight, at a normal pace, and fix their gaze forward and slightly up, rather than down at the hot coals.
3. You must control your inner dialogue.
Positive experiences don’t just happen. You have to make them happen. We encourage participants who are firewalking to focus on a word or phrase – “YES” or “cool moss.” When you replace a negative with a positive, you can get through anything.
4. You must have absolute certainty.
To get through the fire, you have to have absolute certainty that you can and will succeed. Focus on the task at hand. Where focus goes, energy flows, and when you lose focus while firewalking, fear begins to creep in – and that’s when you begin to falter.
In the end, the influential part of the firewalk is not the fire itself. It’s the state of certainty and self-assuredness you must put yourself in in order to succeed that makes firewalking beneficial. It’s the same certainty and self-assuredness that can get you through any problem or “fire” in your life.
It’s not about the fire, it’s about what it takes to get through it. The Tony Robbins firewalk activity is a lesson you will not soon forget.
“Being somewhat of a skeptic myself, I didn’t know what to expect… every second was worth it. It was an experience like no other I’ve had, and Tony is, to put it mildly, extraordinary. I’ve never seen anyone walk the walk like this guy, have never witnessed someone able to match and exceed the energy of an audience of 6,000 inspired, hopeful people.” — Steven Weber, Actor
Disclaimer: Never attempt firewalking on your own. Firewalking is done at Tony Robbins’ Unleash The Power Within events in a highly controlled environment with trained fire professionals. It requires hours of mental training to be able to follow the rules above, directly from Tony Robbins, prior to the process taking place.