If you’re a high performer thinking about giving up alcohol, coaching is almost never the first option.

By the time someone reaches out, they’ve usually tried everything else, many time over.

Here’s what typically comes before coaching;

1. Willpower

This is always the starting point.

“I’ll just stop.” “I’ll be more disciplined.” “Plenty of people drink less than me.”

For high performers, effort feels like the solution to everything.

Until stress, fatigue, or pressure hits, and willpower disappears.

Alcohol isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a stress and habit system problem.

2. Rules, Limits & Moderation

Next comes structure.

• Only at weekends • Two drinks max • No drinking during the week • Tracking apps

On paper, it makes sense.

In reality:

• Alcohol weakens the part of the brain enforcing the rules
• Moderation creates constant decision fatigue
• Every evening becomes a negotiation

Relief never arrives.

3. Health-Driven Attempts

Often triggered by a warning sign:

• Poor sleep • Weight gain • Blood pressure • GP comments • Declining energy

So they cut back. Temporarily.

But health data alone doesn’t rewire habits, especially when alcohol is still the fastest way to switch off after work.

They already know it’s bad for them. Knowing isn’t the issue.

4. Books, Podcasts & Research

High performers love self-education.

They read:

• Alcohol books
• Performance podcasts
• Optimisation content
• Forums and threads

They gain insight… but struggle to apply it under real-world pressure.

Information without accountability rarely sticks.

5. Social Comparison

A quiet but powerful one.

“I’m still functioning.” “I’ve never missed work.” “Everyone around me drinks like this.”

They benchmark against extremes, not against their own potential.

Progress stalls, but doesn’t collapse. So nothing forces change.

6. Short-Term Breaks

Dry January. Sober challenges. Month-long resets.

They prove they can stop, but not how to live well without alcohol long-term.

There’s no plan for:

• Stress
• Social situations
• High-pressure weeks

Old habits return.

7. Support Groups (Often Considered, Rarely Continued)

Some explore them. Many decide “this isn’t for me.”

Not because they don’t want change, but because:

• The identity doesn’t fit
• The framing feels binary
• The focus is on loss, not performance

Why Coaching Becomes the Final Step

People turn to coaching when they realise:

• This isn’t a knowledge problem

• I can’t brute-force this

• I need an external perspective

• I want this solved properly, once

For high performers, coaching isn’t emotional support.

It’s bringing in an external consultant to fix a system that’s no longer operating efficiently.

If you are in manufacturing, you will have a very good understanding what this means.

If willpower, moderation, or health warnings worked, coaching wouldn’t be necessary.

But when they don’t… That’s when real change starts.