Mel Robbins gives Joe Rogan tough competition with her rapidly growing podcast audience | Trending

American author and podcast host Mel Robbins has built a career out of straightforward advice. Whether it’s dealing with depression, navigating career shifts, or tackling family struggles, Robbins has been through it all. Now, her tough-love approach has catapulted her to the top of the self-help world, with a bestselling book and a podcast that frequently rivals Joe Rogan’s in popularity. Mel Robbins, a bestselling author, gained fame for her tough-love advice and personal struggles, often rivaling Joe Rogan in podcast popularity.(YouTube/Mel Robbins) (Also read: Joe Rogan’s chilling prediction on California fires resurfaces as blaze surges out of control) On The Mel Robbins Podcast, she refers to herself as “your friend Mel” and encourages leners to face their emotions head-on. In a recent episode discussing childhood trauma, she urged her audience to reflect on their past. “It’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility to yourself to do the work that you need to do in order to heal, to grow, to become healthier and happier,” she said. From personal struggles to global successAt 56, Robbins has turned her own struggles—battling depression, overcoming debt, and living with dyslexia—into a thriving brand. Her latest book, The Let Them Theory, has sold over three million copies, despite a broader slump in self-help book sales. The book’s central premise is simple: you can’t control other people, only your reaction to them. “I’m obsessed with trying to make the complex simple,” Robbins explains. “If something’s too complex, you’re not going to use it.” Her influence extends beyond books. Robbins’s podcast, produced her company 143 Studios, competes with The Joe Rogan Experience for the No. 1 spot on Apple and Spotify. Her book signings sell out in hours, with secondary market tickets at a Barnes & Noble event in Los Angeles reaching $300—ten times the face value. A life of reinventionRaised in North Muskegon, Michigan, Robbins pursued law at Dartmouth College and Boston College Law School before pivoting to digital marketing and later, motivational speaking. The 2008 financial crisis left her family in $800,000 debt, forcing her to reinvent herself. Her 2011 TEDx Talk introduced the “five-second rule”—the idea that taking action within five seconds prevents hesitation and self-doubt. “Your problem isn’t ideas,” she told the audience. “Your problem is you don’t act on them.” The video has amassed over 33 million views on YouTube. Not without criticsRobbins’s straightforward advice has earned both praise and scepticism. Jim Taylor, a psycholog and author, warns against self-help figures without formal training. “You wouldn’t go to a surgeon who never went to medical school,” he noted. Yet, Robbins’s business acumen is undeniable. She retained the audiobook rights for The Let Them Theory, securing higher royalties, and partnered with Audible for six exclusive releases. According to Rachel Ghiazza, Audible’s chief content officer, sales of Robbins’s older titles doubled following the book’s release. (Also read: Donald Trump reveals scar from when a bullet nicked his ear during Joe Rogan podcast: ‘It made me tougher guy’) A bestseller breaking recordsDespite a 9% drop in self-help book sales last year, The Let Them Theory has bucked the trend. Published Hay House, the book has become the bestselling title in the publisher’s 38-year hory. “We’re going to reach our profit goal for the year the end of March,” said Reid Tracy, Hay House’s CEO. For Robbins, the message remains clear: “No matter what’s happening out there, your power is in how you respond.”