Creating Lasting Change Review: How To Create Change Using 7 Master Steps To Maximum Impact (Tony Robbins)

In this blog post, I will be reviewing the Creating Lasting Change by Tony Robbins. The program discusses and shares the 7 master steps to creating maximum impact that you can use on yourself and you can use to help and contribute to others. The 10-day program was so jammed pack with information, there can be so more content from the things learned but for this post, I will be covering the overall aspect and flow of the program.

If you want to change anything in your life then this is the program for you. Have you ever wondered how you can stop binge eating? Have you ever wondered how you can stop smoking or drinking? No matter what change in your life or habit you want to break, this program can help you understand most importantly WHY you do the things you do?

Once you know why you do things in your life, you can literally change your life forever. Find out how below....

Overview Of The 7 Master Steps

 Tony Robbins have created a fantastic program here because it is made so simple to follow. When things are in step by step form, it allows everyone from all ages and backgrounds to follow the steps and apply where necessary. This is better than having one big program which could prove difficult to understand and apply.

The depth of information given in each of the CD's you get and the workbook is incredible. It will require you to go through the exercises and most likely recap each day again and again as you put the knowledge into practice. One of the reasons for me sharing everything I learn allows me to consume it once more and embed into my own knowledge and skills.

Below are the 7 steps you will go through in this program...

Step 1 - Understand and Appreciate Their World.

Before you can influence yourself or others, you must first learn what influences yourself or them.

Step 2 - Get Leverage.

Before you change or get a person to change you must first find the leverage that will impact them.

Step 3 - Interrupt The Pattern.

Before you change a habit, you must first interrupt the pattern of our daily lives.

Step 4 - Define The Problem In Solvable Terms.

The problem of doing something that is not empowering you must first be defined in a way which allows you to see it as solvable.

Step 5 - Create Empowering Alternatives.

You cant just stop a habit. It must be replaced with something else but you must be careful what you change it with. Make it empowering.

Step 6 - Condition It.

Once you have made created and started an empowering alternative, you must condition it to prevent you turning back to your older ways.

Step 7 - Create an Empowering Environment.

Then to finally create lasting change, you must look at your environment and make it support your new empowering way of life.

Step 1 – Understand and Appreciate Their World

This first step to creating lasting change is the most important and most critical for change to occur in yours or anyone life.

If this isn't done correctly, no change will occur so day 3 after the overview of the 7 master steps, we begin to go through the steps in detail starting with the first.

To influence yourself or anybody else, you must first know what influences them and what human needs they or you are trying to fulfill. Each of us try to fill all the human needs, however there are 2 preferred higher than all others. 

Here are the 6 Human Needs:

1. Certainty - You need to know you can avoid pain and gain pleasure.

2. Uncertainty (Variety) - You need change in your life, new experience.

3. Significance - The feeling of importance and needed.

4. Love / Connection - A feeling of closeness or union with somebody or something.

5. Growth - The expansion of knowledge, skill, wealth, capacity, or capability. Moving forward.

6. Contribution - Helping, giving or supporting others.

For example, we all want variety in our lives, however, some of us prefer the sense of security and certainty in our lives that bills will be paid.

This is a part of the 7 elements of Guiding Force in the program where we learn about Global Belief Systems, our Identities, our Values, Rules, and Vehicles.

We can learn everything we need to know about somebody by asking questions and understanding what needs they are trying to match.

For example, ask these questions and think about the answers you get, what needs are being matched?

What is life about? Example Answer: Being with family and enjoying life - Needs being met = Love / Connection

What is freedom for you? Example Answer: The love of traveling and being in multiple locations - Needs being met = Variety

Who are you really? Example Answer: Someone that helps and cares for others - Need being met = Contribution.

Who are you at work? Example Answer: I'm the leader - Needs being met = Significance

Once we know the 2 Human Needs someone is trying to match more than others, we can go to step 2.

Step 2 – Get Leverage

This second step is made easier once step 1 is completed correctly. Once you understand what drives someone, you can use it as leverage to start the lasting change.

To get leverage, you must first build that Rapport with someone and we learn all the different techniques we can use. We can do this by story telling for example as people can relate more closely but there a number of different methods.

To change any behavior, we learned about the MEANING TRIAD. What does something mean when it happens? For example, when someone uses abusive language, we all immediately associate a meaning to it?

This is useful when it comes to obtaining Leverage to guide somebody to change as we learn how to use framing. This allows us to show the person that if this behavior continues it can lead to not having the Human Needs they value the most. Once we have done this, we can go to Step 3.

There are 3 types of Framing:

1. Pre-Framing - Telling someone what to pay attention to and what it means to them. For example educating children that smoking is bad. This tells them the meaning before even trying.

2. Re-Framing - Someone already has a problem and you must get them to see it in a different way.

3. De-Framing - When someone is already in a particular element and it needs to be destroyed.

The 4 Keys To Framing:

1. Rapport - No one will ever listen to you without it.

2. Questions - Asking questions is always best.

3. Interrupt the Pattern - Next step

4. Change The Physiology - Without them knowing.

Step 3 – Interrupt The Pattern

This third step is the first time we begin to break the disempowering pattern. All change is just a change in pattern, so we must interrupt the pattern you or the other person is in.

Make the interrupt as shocking as possible and the person will then be in a position to listen and absorb new information. They are a number of ways to do this which is explained very well in the program but below are just some ways:

1. Using something outside what is usually acceptable. Talking about sex or being gross or confusing. This will confuse the person you are talking to.

2. Changing the physiology of a person by movement, temperature or pressure. Think about when you jump in cold water, you are paying attention then 

Once the pattern is interrupted, you can go to Step 4.

Step 4 – Define The Problem In Solvable Terms

 Once we are at this stage, we can begin to learn about what the person or yourself really wants? What is it that they really want and why is the current way of life not good in achieving that?

We can again use problem-solving questions such as:

What can I learn from this?

How can I enjoy the process of this?

This is where we learned about our primary question. There is one question that we all ask ourselves each day even if you are not aware of it.

This question has the following criteria:. Think about your own. An example maybe "How can I improve Here?".

1.You ask it consistently.

2. You believe if you live by this question, you’re fulfilling the purpose of your life.

3. If you don’t live by this question, you believe that you will be in massive pain, perhaps even a life or death – survival instinct question.

4. Your identity is often tied to the question.

Once you are aware of the question, you can begin to understand more clearly why you do the things that you do.

Step 5 – Create Empowering Alternatives

This is when it begins to matter. What are you replacing your disempowering habit or belief with? You must act in a responsible way here otherwise you go from smoking to eating if not done right. 

There are many ways it can be made empowering such as using different language daily.

Say things like you are feeling OUTSTANDING inside of just I'm good. Believe you are LEARNING and not failing! 

One example I have used in my life is instead of junk food eating, I know use my Nutribullet to have fruits daily with honey. This has been an empowering alternative because it directly supports my vision for my body. Not the pain of being unhealthy and being overweight.

Step 6 – Condition It

You must now condition it daily. Anchor it in the new way of life. This step is a very important part of the process as we begin to embed it into ourselves or others. 

When you are in an intense state, you will link to anything unique that is happening consistently at the time.

There are many types of anchors such as touch, sound, smell and visual.

One of the best conditioning techniques that have helped me is visualization. I find it so powerful to condition yourself envisioning the new future you are working towards.

In the program, Tony shares incantations which are when you are fully engaged with your entire nervous system which the full force of your focus and you speak out loud an empowering phrase. A couple examples below:

"Everyday in every way I'm getting stronger and stronger"

"All I need is within me now"

Step 7 – Create An Empowering Environment

To make the change lasting for the long term, you must create the environment that supports your change. 

Tony goes through different things you can do such as removing any temptation in your household for example.

If you're struggling with junk food, get it out the house and don't buy it to be tempted again.

One of the major techniques here though is peer groups. I'm a huge fan of masterminds.

Being involved in a mastermind or having an accountability buddy can help you stay on track with your new way of life.