Stories of legacy

The opportunity

Did you know that Tony Robbins got his career started as a sports journalist at just 15 years old? The skills that he developed as a young person interviewing athletes proved to benefit him greatly, as he went on to interview some of the world’s most successful people in sports, like Tom Brady, Shaun White, and Michael Phelps. 

Here’s where YOU come in. The Tony Robbins editorial team is looking for students that have previously attended GYLS, age 14-18, to be journalists for a day. Your assignment is to conduct an interview that, if selected, will be published on The Tony Robbins Podcast. Beyond that, this assignment could serve as a resume builder and an excellent sample of work to be included in college admissions applications!

Assignment details:

When young and old come together, they can change each other’s lives, their community, and even the world. Big things happen when you listen to a life – you travel time, learning from the past for a better future.

You’ve probably heard the word ‘legacy’ before – but what does it really mean? All too often we think of legacy as something physical that we leave behind – money, structures, tangible objects. But legacy is much more than that. It’s a focus on establishing meaningful goals and an impact that extends beyond our physical lives. It’s a way that we can stay alive in the memories and lives of others. 

You don’t have to be rich or famous to leave a legacy. You don’t need to have a statue named after you, or leave a large sum of money to your kids, or grandkids. Everyday people, from all walks of life, leave legacies that live forever. Legacy simply means impact – and we can all leave an impact through our love, through what we create, and the lives that we’ve touched. 

Your assignment is to interview a grandparent, great-grandparent or mentor about their life, and their legacy. The outcome is to help tell their story in a thoughtful, impactful, and meaningful way.

Interview Criteria

• • Your interview must be with somebody over the age of 65
  • Interviews should be between 10-20 minutes long
  • Your interview can be audio or video, but please note that if selected, only the audio will be included in the podcast
  • You do not need to use professional equipment to record this interview, but here are some tips on how you can get the best quality: 
    • If conducting a remote interview:
      • Set up a Zoom meeting, and record it. Here’s how.
      • Set up a Skype call, and record it. Here’s how.
      • Set a free Squadcast account, and record there 
      • **Use of a USB headset (for both the interviewer and interviewee) helps with audio quality. There are many inexpensive options on amazon, like this. 

• If conducting an in-person interview:

• • • You can record on your phone, just make sure you’re in a room that is quiet
    • Record using a digital recorder that can be purchased on amazon
    • If you’d like to do a more intricate setup, here’s how to record with two microphones into a program like Audacity.

**It’s always a good idea to do a “test” to ensure that your audio is clear before conducting your actual interview! 

Instructions for submissions

• Please click here to submit your work.
• Submission Deadline: April 15, 2020

Thought starters

Here are some questions you can ask to get the conversation going. 

• Looking back on your life, what are some of the biggest lessons that you learned? Can you share a story or example of how you learned this lesson? 
• What sort of impact did this lesson have on you? Did it inspire you to do something good? Did it inspire you to help others?
• Have you ever thought about the legacy that you want to leave? The impact that you want to have on others? The value that you will bring to future generations? The part of you that will live on forever?
• Tell me a story about your legacy, or a defining moment in your life.
• Close your eyes and envision the outcome of a successful life. What do you see? What do you hear? Who are you with? How do you feel? What do you stand for?
• What does legacy mean to you?
• What is the legacy that you want to leave and how do you plan to leave it?
• What do you think young people can do to start building their legacy?
• What do you think MY legacy will be, given what you already know of me?

Selection process

• The Tony Robbins editorial team will be reviewing all submissions the first week of April. Up to two interviews will be selected to be featured in an upcoming episode of The Tony Robbins Podcast this spring.
• If selected, the interview may be edited for length and content.
• If selected, you may be asked to write and record an introduction to your interview that will also be included in the podcast episode.
• If selected, you (and your parent/guardian) will be asked to complete a standard media release form

About The Tony Robbins Podcast

• On average, each episode receives 350,000 downloads
• The Tony Robbins Podcast has been in the top 150 Apple podcasts since 2016

Questions?

Email editorial@tonyrobbins.com