. This welcome is about to turn out completely different than I expected. What I had planned on writing, was a straight-forward introduction on how I can help you solve your drinking problem. I mean, that’s what you are looking for, right? A way to solve the problem. . . But what if it’s not as easy [...]]]> .

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This welcome is about to turn out completely different than I expected. What I had planned on writing, was a straight-forward introduction on how I can help you solve your drinking problem. I mean, that’s what you are looking for, right? A way to solve the problem.
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But what if it’s not as easy as you would like? What if it requires you take responsibility not just for the problem, but especially for the solution? Do you really feel you are worth it?
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The answers are probably easier than you believe. In the simplest terms, all it takes to break any bad habit or addiction is a decision, and a way of supporting that decision until the job is done. But what I have found in both my personal and professional experience dealing with addictions, is that quite often people are not as ready as they think.
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If you really want to change your behavior, then at some point, you are going to have to change the underlying beliefs that are causing it. Otherwise, the same kind of behavior will just keep on showing up in other areas of your life. The fact is, our beliefs drive our behavior. And that means…
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Whether you believe you can,
or you believe you can’t,
you’re right!

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So I had planned on starting this blog by talking about personal responsibility. Response. Ability. The ability to respond. In other words, the ability to choose a response that effectively serves your purpose. But then I remembered it’s our stories that are hindering us. All those things we call “legitimate reasons” for not being able to accomplish something. The things we keep on saying over and over again that make it okay for us to fail, rather than succeed. So instead I am going to tell you about…
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An Alcoholic Celebrity

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I have no doubt I can help you permanently solve your drinking problem. I have done it for myself and many other people. The only thing stopping me from helping you is…you. Specifically, the unconscious beliefs you currently hold that are preventing you from getting what you want. So where I’m going to start is by telling you a story about an alcoholic celebrity who unknowingly inspired me to help as many people as I can. I won’t give you his name, but once upon a time, this guy played a flower delivery boy in a romance movie.
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In the movie, this girl falls for this guy, who as it turns out, owns a whole bunch of flower stores. But she can’t understand why a man with so much money, the owner of all these stores, would spend his time working as the flower delivery boy. To let her see for herself, one day the guy invites her to come and do his deliveries with him…
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So what do you think happens when people see the flower delivery boy? There’s all smiles and laughter and hugs and tears of joy! The guy gets to share in all that love and happiness all day long! “Oh It’s the flower delivery boy! Oh my goodness! Oh! Oh! Oh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
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It’s funny. A little tear of joy just dropped from my own eye, as I’m recalling why I’m doing all this work in the first place. It’s because 15 years ago, when I first saw that movie, I said to myself “Wow. If I could find a way to help people improve their quality of life, it would be like that guy delivering flowers. Only better.”
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But the story doesn’t end there. You see I didn’t just say that to myself. Back in 1995, I actually wrote those very same words in a letter to a guy named Tony Robbins. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Anyway, in that letter I told Mr. Robbins that the reason I wanted to work with him, was so I could find my own way of “delivering flowers” to people every single day.
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As it turns out, I ended up working with Tony for awhile, and one day, a very curious thing happened. One day, in an audience of over 2, 000 people, the actor from that very same movie, stood up and started talking about his drinking problem. Fascinated, I watched as this very well-known young man, “the flower delivery boy” who had so inspired me, started talking about his drinking problems in front of all these people…and how my heart ached for this guy when he couldn’t let Tony in to help him! You see, there was no question that Robbins’ could have helped him control his drinking. The problem was, the young man just wasn’t ready to let him.
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The only thing stopping you from getting what you want,
is your story for why you can’t have it.

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And all this to tell you three simple things:
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1. Speaking as the owner of a company whose purpose is to help people deal with their addictions, and speaking as a man who once lost both family and fortune through my own drug, alcohol and gambling addictions, I know that the weight of personal responsibility is sometimes hard to bear. I also know there is simply no other way to live well, than to become personally responsible for your own health and happiness.
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2. Our beliefs drive our behavior. That means the only thing stopping you from getting sober, is your story for why you can’t do it. I know that statement is going to scare a lot of people away, but only those who prefer having the certainty of their old beliefs, instead of the power to be free.
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3. The bottom line is I have found some things that work for me. And they can work for you.
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To your success,

Michael Highstead

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