Client Case Study: From Drunk and Depressed to Sober, Fulfilled and Filthy Rich!

People often come to me for help when they hit a dead end and they don’t know how to move forward. Many people, and maybe yourself, have difficulty identifying what path to take and change for the better. They don’t know how to view the world and their current circumstances in a way that can help them transition into the life they’ve always dreamed of living. I call this our MOW: “Model Of the World.” Is there a way to stop your life’s path on a specific date and realize you’re in need of change? The answer is yes, and that’s exactly what happened when John stepped into my office three years ago.

John was an interesting guy with many life experiences. He presented himself as an enthusiastic, hard-working father, husband, and sales manager. John had been in management for a handful of companies and succeeded very quickly in all of his endeavors. People respected him and he was commonly referred to as a guy that would help anyone. Nothing seemed to bother him on the surface except when someone didn’t treat him, his family or friends fairly. He lived what appeared to be a fulfilling life, but people weren’t aware of what was happening deep beneath the surface.

John hit a roadblock in his life. He was not happy about the fact that alcohol had become a major part of his life, both personally and professionally. It seemed that he could not function without drinking booze every evening from the time he left work up until it was time to go to bed. John realized this was an issue and went to see if Alcoholics Anonymous was a good fit. He didn’t feel like AA was the best option to fix his issue. John knew that if he could fix his issues around alcohol and moderate depression, he could change his life for the better, so he asked me to be his coach.

When John started coaching sessions with me, he filled out my standard questionnaire to determine what was keeping him from living a sober, happy and balanced life. We learned that he used alcohol as a release from reality and the habit slowly became an addiction. We also learned that John was not spending enough time with his family, he wasn’t getting the recognition he so deeply desired at work and people often described him as grumpy and unhappy.

After several coaching sessions with John, we realized his main problem after digging deeper into his past and present circumstance. John repeated the same thoughts and actions over and over again that didn’t seem to move him in the direction that he wanted to move in to become sober and fulfilled. He realized he needed to become more honest with himself and the people in his life that he deeply cared about, even when his pride and reputation created a barrier for him to do so.

Once we figured out John’s main problem, I had him complete my signature Chapter 2 exercise (you can complete this exercise too clicking here). I explained that have many chapters in our lives and there is alway the possibility to start over and transition into the next chapter in our lives. This is when John started to truly open up to me. Together, we learned that John was ready to close the chapter of life he was currently in and move onto the chapter of sobriety and happiness he deeply desired.

After working through several more coaching sessions with me, John started to identify more balance and fulfillment in the six critical areas of his life: certainty, variety, significance, connection/love, growth, and contribution.

John decided to give up alcohol for good. He also changed several other bad habits in his life and began to volunteer more in his community and educate children on the winning coaching strategies he learned in his sessions with me. John’s boss is now giving him the recognition he always wanted and even offered him a significant raise and promotion. While John can’t afford a yacht and a private plane just yet, he’s now able to afford a comfortable lifestyle for himself and his family that most only dream of having.

Since completing our full three month coaching program together, John has not touched a drop of alcohol. He doesn’t even talk or think about drink anymore. Many of the friends used to view him as depressed and negative, now call his optimistic and surprisingly successful! John describes the culmination of all of his accomplishments as living a filthy rich life.

I look at what’s happened to John and countless of other clients with whom I’ve coached. These people can easily stay on a certain path or they can make the conscious decision to change. Going through my signature Chapter Two exercise and three month coaching program definitely helps, but it also takes a certain kind of person to make the lasting changes they need in order to live the life of their dreams. It takes someone with true courage, strength, and determination. John had these qualities and continued to work toward his dreams and aspirations.

I’d love to hear from you! What are you struggling with in your business or personal life that’s keeping you from moving into the second chapter of your life? Let me know in the comments below.