In his new NBC summer series, bestselling author and inspirational speaker Tony Robbins
uses his extraordinary skills to help deserving individuals who have
suffered terrible setbacks in "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins."
And while "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins" is a show
that deals with everyday people, Robbins, who serves as an adviser to
Fortune 500 executives and sports professionals, also talks to ET about
the possibility of celebs Mel Gibson and Lindsay Lohan having "breakthroughs." "I don't know what's really driving him," Robbins says of Gibson. "We all jump to assumptions about things, so obviously the behavior is not something anybody could support. Or, I don't necessarily support. But you want to know why? I mean here's a very smart man -- a very strong man who has very strong Christian principles, and yet the behavior doesn't match. All of us don't match our behavior sometimes. But it's so extreme, you have to wonder what the trigger is for him right now in his life."
Robbins goes on to say that no one can be helped unless they want to change. And one of the first steps he takes is to find out why the behavior is happening. Only then can he figure out how to make it change. He makes it clear that he doesn't know either Lindsay or Mel. They are not people he has worked with, but he does keep his client list private.
"He has to deal with the consequences of that [behavior]," Robbins says. "But he's also got to make the change if he's going to have a life that's meaningful. He's done a lot of amazing things. Many of us are probably fans of some of the movies. 'Braveheart:' one of the greatest films, I think. So there's a genius in there, and there's a lot of anger and conflict that needs to be resolved."
So just what is a "Breakthrough"? "I think a breakthrough is that moment in time when what was impossible to you suddenly becomes possible," Tony tells ET. He goes on to say that the best way to have a breakthrough is to have an experience, not a conversation, although conversation can inspire someone to do something.
"You really know there's a breakthrough when somebody changes what they do. They change their actions. They change their emotions," he says.
In the season premiere of "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins," the adviser meets newlyweds Frank and Kristen. On their wedding day, to celebrate their marriage, they held hands and jumped into the resort swimming pool. That's when Frank broke his neck in two places -- and changed their lives forever. Now, one-year later, Frank is confined to a wheelchair, reluctant to even leave his house, while Kristen is his full-time caregiver.
"The real show is seeing human beings who feel like life has crushed them and showing that they can take back control of their lives," Robbins says. "You can make the change; you can make the shift. I'm hoping it will inspire people."
In the case of Frank and Kristen, Robbins flies the two to Fiji, where Frank learns that his wheelchair is not his limitation. They sky dive, Frank drives a truck with hand controls and even plays murderball. Robbins' mission is to show Frank that he still is capable of fending for himself and also to encourage Kristen to do something impossibly scary to help them realize that anything is possible.
"If you were to ask this couple would that be possible, he'd say, 'We can't even leave the house.' Because this man can't even move around, she's afraid if he moves around, he may fall over if she's not there and stop breathing," Robbins says.
For more of what Robbins has to say, watch the video. Then tune in when "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins" premieres Tuesday, July 27 at 8 p.m. on NBC.