Addiction and going cold turkey or else

This morning I was watching a Youtube video discussing drug and alcohol addiction. Matthew Perry, the actor from friends was talking about his long term addiction to alcohol. The journalist seemed to think that he needed more ‘willpower’ to overcome his addiction. 

Now I don’t necessarily completely agree with Matthew Perry's view but I am going to use it to draw some comparisons. 

He said he has control up to the point of the first drink, then his brain chemistry and his body allergy take over. 

How many of you have a similar issue? I’m not suggesting it’s alcohol, although it might be. But yours might be a sugar addiction, or an addiction to the wrong types of food. Or maybe you NEED that latte every morning. 

Perhaps Perry is raising an interesting point. Should we go cold turkey if we want to get results in our training?

How often do those little rewards cost you all your results this week? So essentially you’ve worked your butt off and gone nowhere, although I’d argue you could be getting worse. 

Last week I challenged one of my clients to stop talking a good game and go after the results he deserves. 

And he came straight back at me. “How’s your book Denzil?”

Ok, point taken. 

I have a bunch of unfinished goals that I want to achieve across a number of areas. My books are definitely one I want to finish. So we discussed helping each other. 

Both of us are going to write out our goals with a series of by-whens. Then we are going to decide on the forfeits for not hitting those goals. We’ve decided that we aren’t motivated by rewards, but by fear. 

I’m happy to open this up to the group. If you think you have a nasty enough forfeit for me, send me it. In the past we had an hour on the versaclimber, I’ll admit that it something I never want to repeat ever again. 

At present I’m inclined to offer me entering the marathon next year, as a possible opener, you all know how much I detest running. 

So let’s do it. If you want the motivation of working to hit your goals. We can make it happen. 

My first target is to make my book available to you unedited (or with the editor by 8th July). So now I need my forfeits if I don’t make it. 

If you need to get in shape. Then offer your goal and possible forfeit. But it has to really hurt. I suggested to another client she would have to give a public presentation, which we both knew would be her idea of hell.