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The Alcohol-Free Advantage with Andy Ramage · Today · 14 min

Why Moderators Are Liars

Moderation sounds like the sensible middle ground. One or two drinks, stay in control, and carry on. But I think there's a problem with that story. For me, moderation means wanting more of something but using willpower to force yourself to have less. And when willpower inevitably runs low, one drink can become two, two can become five, and suddenly we're wondering what went wrong. In this episode, I unpack why I believe moderation creates more mental noise than freedom, how confirmation bias convinces us we're better at moderating than we really are, and why those people who can nurse one drink all night might not be moderators at all. Most importantly, I explore what happens when you stop negotiating with alcohol altogether and discover the peace, confidence, and freedom on the other side. What You'll Learn: Why moderation relies so heavily on willpower How confirmation bias distorts the story we tell ourselves about drinking Why one or two drinks can so easily become five The difference between a moderator and what I call a "non-drinker in disguise" Why going alcohol-free removes the constant negotiation and mental noise Timestamps: 00:00 – 03:00 Why I believe moderation is doomed to fail 03:00 – 06:00 Confirmation bias and the moderation story 06:00 – 09:00 Why two drinks can so easily become five 09:00 – 11:00 The "non-drinker in disguise" 11:00 – End Escaping the noise of moderation and choosing alcohol-free If this episode has inspired you to explore coaching, I'd love to invite you to join my Diploma in Coaching & Positive Psychology (DCPP) cohort and train to become a life and executive coach, and specialise in Alcohol-Free Performance coaching. Apply here: Diploma in Coaching & Positive Psychology And don't forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Let's do this. Andy

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transcript

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show notes

Moderation sounds like the sensible middle ground. One or two drinks, stay in control, and carry on.

But I think there's a problem with that story.

For me, moderation means wanting more of something but using willpower to force yourself to have less. And when willpower inevitably runs low, one drink can become two, two can become five, and suddenly we're wondering what went wrong.

In this episode, I unpack why I believe moderation creates more mental noise than freedom, how confirmation bias convinces us we're better at moderating than we really are, and why those people who can nurse one drink all night might not be moderators at all.

Most importantly, I explore what happens when you stop negotiating with alcohol altogether and discover the peace, confidence, and freedom on the other side.

What You'll Learn:

  • Why moderation relies so heavily on willpower

  • How confirmation bias distorts the story we tell ourselves about drinking

  • Why one or two drinks can so easily become five

  • The difference between a moderator and what I call a "non-drinker in disguise"

  • Why going alcohol-free removes the constant negotiation and mental noise

Timestamps:

00:00 – 03:00 Why I believe moderation is doomed to fail

03:00 – 06:00 Confirmation bias and the moderation story

06:00 – 09:00 Why two drinks can so easily become five

09:00 – 11:00 The "non-drinker in disguise"

11:00 – End Escaping the noise of moderation and choosing alcohol-free

If this episode has inspired you to explore coaching, I'd love to invite you to join my Diploma in Coaching & Positive Psychology (DCPP) cohort and train to become a life and executive coach, and specialise in Alcohol-Free Performance coaching. 

Apply here: Diploma in Coaching & Positive Psychology

And don't forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.

Let's do this.

Andy

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