#59: How I Became Unstoppable in 365 Days

I've been in this industry since I was a kid, playing poker since I was 17.

Back then, poker taught me something that most people never learn: how to handle variance. You can lose for 100 days straight and still be playing perfectly. That mental strength - the ability to stay rational when everything's going wrong - served me well as I built my career in iGaming.

But here's the thing about mental strength: it can become a weakness when you use it to tolerate things you shouldn't.

When "Normal" Industry Culture Nearly Killed Me

For over 17+ years, I thought I was crushing it. I worked for some of the world's largest operators, travelled constantly, and lived the typical iGaming executive lifestyle. You know the one - conferences every month, drinks with every deal, "networking" until 2 AM, then crushing calls the next morning like a champion.

The research shows that 77% of workers experience chronic stress, but in our industry, we wear it like a badge of honour. We've normalised behaviours that would horrify a sports scientist. 85% of iGaming professionals know colleagues experiencing burnout, yet we treat it as inevitable rather than addressable.

COVID hit, and everything accelerated. More work, less movement, stress eating, and my mom got sick. I was travelling for business in India when she died, just days before I planned to see her. That guilt? It became fuel for even worse decisions.

2022 was brutal. Family issues, overworking, and alcohol becoming too regular. Not crazy drinking - just our industry's version of normal. Friday drinks, Saturday drinks, conference drinks, "tough day" drinks. You know how it goes. The hangover feeling becomes your new baseline, and you just learn to live with it.

But here's what I didn't know: even "moderate" drinking impairs executive function by 39% during hangovers. When you're making decisions that impact millions in revenue, operating at 60% cognitive capacity is professionally reckless.

The False Peak: My Hidden Handicap

At the end of 2023, I left my high-paying executive role to pursue the entrepreneurial dream. Finally, I thought, I'll build something great.

I became incredibly productive. I was working on multiple companies, grinding 24/7, feeling unstoppable. But I was still drinking regularly, still stressed, still carrying extra weight. I had this joke about not giving handicaps to anyone in business.

The irony? I was giving myself massive handicaps every single day.

The science is clear: men consuming 36g of alcohol daily show faster cognitive decline across all domains. That's roughly three drinks - exactly where I was sitting. In an industry where single decisions can make or break deals, I was voluntarily operating with impaired judgment.

I was like a Formula 1 driver, proud of winning races while driving with the handbrake on.

When Your Body Keeps Score

July 1st, 2024. I'd planned to stop drinking for 90 days, just to prove I could do it.

Instead, I went harder than ever. "Last hurrah" mentality. Combine that with building multiple companies simultaneously, zero movement, and chronic stress, and my body decided to present me with a bill.

I began feeling pain that was unlike anything I'd ever felt, and spent a lot of time in and out of the doctor's office having various tests.

But the real pain was the realisation: my body had been keeping score this entire time, and the accounting was brutal.

My body's rebellion isn't random - it's a perfectly logical response to an illogical lifestyle. That moment changed everything. Not because of the pain, but because of the clarity.

The 365-Day Experiment Begins

What started as a 90-day alcohol break became a 365-day transformation that revolutionised not just my health, but my business performance.

On day 1, I quit alcohol. Not long after I quit sugar.

During that time, I learned to forget the 21-day habit myth. University College London research shows habit formation takes an average of 66 days, with complex lifestyle changes requiring 100+ days. I think that’s closer to reality.

Alcohol was very tough to begin with, then intermittently tough, and then got easier. Sugar? I still dream about Portuguese pastries to this day. But here's the compound effect in action: 1% daily improvement equals 37x better performance annually. Small, consistent changes create exponential results.

The Systems Approach:

Instead of relying on willpower (which depletes under stress), I built systems. Research shows 95% success rates with weekly accountability versus 35% with self-direction alone. I wasn’t shy about telling people what I was doing. Honestly, speaking about it and posting about it helped a lot.

My routine became random but consistent: cold plunges, 10k walks, and padel a few times weekly. What stayed non-negotiable: no alcohol, showing up daily, and being relentless with my promise to myself.

The Business Impact:

This wasn't just personal wellness. The more I felt the mental benefits, the more it gave me a greater purpose for keeping the changes in place. I soon realised that I was also optimising for peak cognitive performance.

The results: 117kg to 91kg. But just as important, clearer thinking, better decision-making, and stronger business relationships.

Networking Without Numbing

"But how do you network sober?" Everyone asks this because there's that old saying that "the best deals are made in the bar after the event."

It hasn't been my experience, though.

Here's what surprised me: 60% of UK workers now prefer alcohol-free work socials. The culture is shifting, and I accidentally found myself ahead of the curve.

I've closed bigger deals, built stronger relationships, and gained a reputation for reliability that money can't buy. Case studies show brokers improving business by 30% after quitting alcohol because clients appreciate dealing with someone who's sharp on Friday mornings, not hungover.

The conference circuit became more enjoyable sober. Morning coffee meetings, activity-based networking, authentic conversations. I found I could have deeper, more meaningful connections when I wasn't relying on alcohol as a social lubricant.

The Framework That Emerged

As Mike Tyson said: "If you see me as a savage, acting as a savage? Well, I am a savage."

I've adopted a similar philosophy. No more handicaps to anyone, especially myself. Relentlessness became my second name, and consistency became my path.

But here's what I discovered: becoming unstoppable doesn't make you boring. It gave me more energy to be present for the people and projects that matter most.

The Framework:

1. Identity over outcomes - I'm not trying to lose weight; I'm someone who maintains peak performance

2. Systems over willpower - automation beats motivation every time

3. Compound consistency - small daily gains create exponential results

4. Professional relationships improve when you're reliable and present

5. Peak performance opens doors you didn't even know existed

Why I'm Telling You This

This message might change even one person's life, and that's worth more than I could have imagined achieving.

If you're reading this and recognising yourself in the early parts of my story, I want you to know: the research is overwhelming. 47-82% burnout rates in high-pressure industries aren't inevitable. $300 billion lost annually to workplace stress isn't the cost of doing business.

It's the cost of accepting something we don't have to accept.

The 365-day transformation taught me that optimisation isn't about becoming perfect - it's about becoming the version of yourself that can handle whatever comes next. And in an industry where sharp thinking directly translates to better outcomes, that's not just personal development.

That's strategy.

But more than anything, it's about having the energy and clarity to show up fully for the people and projects that matter most.