I'm 5x more productive since I cut back on alcohol
I don't want to brag.
I've always had a lot of energy. Like, a lot. The kind of energy where standing still feels weird. The kind that pushes you to start things, finish things, jump on calls, build, sell, close, repeat.
I'm not diagnosed with anything. But I'm pretty sure I sit somewhere in the 99th percentile of just… running hot. Always have.
The fun drunk
For a long time, alcohol felt like fuel on the fire. More energy. More stories. More confidence. I was the guy on the table with a sombrero handing out tequila shots to everyone in the room. Loud. Fully committed. Great conversations until 3am.
I wasn't a bad drunk. I was a fun drunk. People liked having me around. I liked being there.
It worked. For a while.
The toll of drinking, even in your 30s
What you don't notice at first is the cost. You think it's a one-day thing. Wake up rough. Drink water. Move on.
Then you get older. And one day becomes two. Two becomes three. Sometimes four. Sometimes five days of feeling slightly off. Slightly slower. Slightly behind.
Not destroyed. Just… dimmer.
For someone who runs on energy, dimmer is the worst feeling there is.
The decision to cut back
At some point I just didn't want to feel that way anymore. Not dramatic. No rock bottom. No big speech. Just a quiet decision. I want my energy back. All of it.
So I started drinking less.
What 5x more productive actually looks like
I don't know if 5x is the exact number. Some days it feels more like 10x. What I do know is this.
I get more done before 8:30am than I used to get done in a full day. I close more deals. I'm more present in meetings. I train harder. I'm a better dad. I sleep better. I think clearer.
The list doesn't really stop.
It's not about doing everything. It's about doing more of what actually matters, with the engine running clean.
Addictive
That feeling: the sharp, clear, available version of yourself is truly addictive. Quietly. Once you know what it feels like, you stop trading it away as easily. Not because of rules. Because of experience.
I still go out. I still have fun. I still say yes. But the version of me that shows up now has way more in the tank.
I always had the energy. I just stopped getting in its way.
SP.
I used to be a very light drinker in my 20’s and 30’s. In my 40"s though I found that glass of wine in the evening turned into the whole bottle. Phone calls I should not have made, things I regretted saying. In the mornings, I was more and more miserable. My everyday morning runs became every other morning, and then maybe once a week. I looked tired and felt tired all the time. Easy things became hard. I had to cut back. But socializing became non existent. Then I went sailing with my family to the British Virgin Islands. My son found this alcohol free wine called Naughty. We bought 6 bottles. At cocktail hour, I could drink this lovely wine, be me, and no hangover, I was present for my family. What an amazing experience. I have now set goals for myself and getting out more. This has changed my life. I have me back again. No big deal, just a quiet change with big results. Thank-you for this. As soon as I arrived home I ordered a case of the wine. Your company is quite remarkable.
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Upside Drinks replied:
Hi Shelley! It’s incredible that a family trip to the BVIs became the moment you finally got your spark back. Trading those heavy mornings and “phone call regrets” for sunrise runs and being fully present with your son is a massive win. I’m genuinely happy for you and our whole team is cheering you on!
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