If you want to know more about training with me, or watch the free workshop on coaching please go to www.andyramagetraining.com 

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, a life story to blow your Christmas socks off! By a man, aptly named Klaus!  

Klaus Neilsen lives in London as an Executive Coach and Public speaker - nothing too extraordinary about that, you say! …. Until you hear how he got here! 

From cyber hacking (one of the worlds largest and most secure systems), to Techno Dj’ing across Europe, to becoming a gaming creator for international tech companies, to packing his bags and heading to India to live and study as a MONK for 8 years - Klaus’s story is arguably stranger than fiction! 

Fast forward 8 years, Klaus headed to Europe to share his spiritual teachings - but discovered that something was blocking him from reaching his true spiritual potential - alcohol. 

Klaus was left feeling disillusioned and lost, constantly seeking distraction from his life and using Drink and Drugs to escape himself. The decision he made next was to change his world and his Spirit, forever. 

I am thrilled that Klaus found some time to talk to us. Since removing alcohol, I have found myself asking some of the ‘bigger questions’ about life - ‘What's the meaning of life? How do we change? How do we begin to explore our own spirituality? How do we find our sense of purpose?’

Klaus helps us to unpick these questions and links them directly to his own experience of removing alcohol coupled with his knowledge of ancient Vedic teachings.

Join us for this conversation packed full of ‘light-bulb’ moments, where we chat about: -

• The BIG questions around Spirituality
• How to reverse the habit of ‘seeking distraction’
• Higher Quality Happiness - How to tap into it 
• The illusion of fun and what authentic joy feels like
• How our ‘false Ego’s’ can hold us back and how to ‘drop the ball!’
• The starting blocks for change - What do they look like?

My biggest takeaway from this conversation is that to optimise our lives in all areas, including spirituality, we must find and live in alignment with our true sense of purpose.

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, the man behind the Instagram handle, ‘Dapper Laughs,’ Daniel O’Reilly joins me for one of the most frank and honest chats I have had so far. 

This episode is JAM PACKED with useful, actionable advice - get your pen and paper at the ready! 

Daniel is a busy man! An Entrepreneur, Comedian (currently on a Sell out tour,) Film-maker, Podcast host, mental health advocate, charity founder and a loving husband and father of 3 beautiful girls. I am so grateful he found some time to come and chat to us about his own experience of removing alcohol, what that meant for his ‘brand’ (that was built around drink and drug taking,) what he has and continues to discover about himself and the key advantages that he has noticed in his life. 

Daniel brings his honest, passionate self to this chat, sharing the highs and lows (and everything in between) he has experienced since removing alcohol.

Daniel speaks with real passion about his personal transformation and is the ultimate example of the ‘Limitless pill effect’ and how much removing alcohol can skyrocket our potential! 

Join us for this conversation packed full of actionable insights, where we chat about: -

• Stumbling into Sobriety.
• Supporting Men with their Mental Health.
• The cultural norms around drinking and drugs, through teenage years.
• ADHD: How this impacts the effect of alcohol and drugs.
• Resilience: How we develop it and the positive effects.
• Relapse: How we become consciously aware of our thoughts.
• Does change come at the stage of ACTION or CONTEMPLATION?
• Boundaries: Learning how to put ourselves first.
• Accountability: Finding your tribe, your support, your community. 

I left this conversation blown away by how much Daniel has learnt about himself since going Alcohol free. His enthusiasm for living a full, happy life is tangible and infectious! 

My biggest takeaway from this chat was just how much more productive, efficient and successful we become across all areas of our lives, when we remove alcohol!

Comment below and let me know your biggest takeaway from this powerful episode! 

Tag or share with someone who you think would enjoy hearing about the man behind the jokes. 

Lets Do this! 

Have you ever experienced a lack of motivation?

Have you ever struggled to stay motivated when moving towards a goal?

If this sounds like you read on…

On today's mid-week momentum podcast, I cover five motivational traps you must avoid to make lasting changes in your life, from quitting alcohol to starting an exercise routine.

You will also discover how I made my singing debut at the Royal Albert Hall !!

Here are two motivational traps to warm you up, you will find the rest on the podcast (See below for links)

1. Why can’t I find a big enough ‘why’?

I get the ‘why’ idea. But it’s been totally miss-sold. Finding a big enough ‘why’ that will unlock endless motivation is a 10,000/1 shot that, for the vast majority, never comes in. 

The conventional ‘why’ wisdom, lures us in to read the books, embrace the one superpower ‘why’ dream and then when we run out of motivation a few months, weeks or days later - we are left confused - why? 

Because in the real world, brainstorming your ‘why’s’ is a great way to generate motivation to get started towards your goals, but it’s not enough to keep you showing up.

Caveat - I fully accept that if you are one of the very lucky few to latch onto a super-powered ‘why’ it can fuel endless motivation. 

So I agree with Nietzsche, the great German philosopher when we said,

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”

But for everyone else, the ‘why’ dream is a massive long shot.

So for everyone who can’t find the one ‘why’, which is most of the planet - we need a different type of motivation, which I’ll cover in the next common mistake.

2. Motivation changes over time

When you listen to people talk about their goals before they take any action, you will hear lots of nice shiny ‘why’s’ such as: 

I am doing it to make my family proud, to raise money, because I should get healthy… 

But if you listen to how successful people talk during their challenges, the conversation changes. 

A successful changer's motivational time frame is often different. 

It’s no longer about abstract or future-dated why’s or why they should; it’s about motivational wins in the moment. 

They have figured out the secret - the motivation to keep showing up is different from the motivation you need to get started.

I talk a lot 

Why’s are not enough

Let’s take the classic goal that so many of us struggle with - physical movement.

Think of someone you know who is uber-fit, healthy and moves their body every day. 

If you ask them why they exercise, they will not answer with traditional why’s such as to make my family proud, or because the doctor told me, or because I should… 

No, they will tell you something different. 

They will wax lyrical about the wins during the goal task itself:

“I run because I love the feeling of moving my body”

“When I am swimming the world disappears, it’s like meditation for me”

“Walking and talking with my friends is the best part of my day; movement and connection is bliss.”

Therefore, the secret to limitless motivation is to focus on the wins of the goal activity!

For the next three motivational traps to avoid tun into the podcast!

Your coach

Andy

PS - Jan's diploma in coaching course is filling up!!  

If you want to transform your mind, body, and potentially career and go on a six-month learning adventure with me, then come with me and learn to coach.

In January, I will personally train a small group in the art of life/executive/alcohol-free coaching so they, too, can unlock the meaning they seek by “giving back”.

Click the button below to watch a short 20-minute workshop that will explain everything and get you supercharged for 2025!

Click the link to find out more - https://andyramagetraining.com/dcpp-course-details/

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, Angela Foster shares her EPIC recovery story and ULTIMATE health hacks (that are available to us all - RIGHT NOW)  to optimise our well being and provide a healthy balance in our lives.

From high-flying Corporate Lawyer, Angela hit a physical and mental rock bottom after juggling career pressures, motherhood and neglecting her health. Burnout, postnatal depression, and a bout of Pneumonia left her at a breaking point.

What happened next is nothing short of miraculous! Angela made a decision to get well. In her words, she developed ‘self-agency,’ and chose to prioritise her health. 

Angela has been on a fascinating journey of recovery and renewal, using her innovative BioSyncing program - to heal from within, without the use of medicine. 

Join us for this Impactful conversation, where we delve into: -

• Parenting and the stresses of juggling work and home life.
• Rock bottom moments ~ How they look different for everyone.
• How it IS possible for ‘High-performance’ and ‘Health’ to co-exist.
• Hormones ~ How and when these impact our lives. 
• How our heart beats can determine our mental health!
• ‘Micro-recoveries’ - what are they and how can they support our health?
• The ULTIMATE (and often subtle) gains of removing alcohol.
• BioSyncing your way to your Highest values and Purpose!

What stood out to me in this chat was Angela’s unapologetic commitment to prioritizing her health and well-being. Having experienced her own “mental rock bottom,” she speaks with real clarity about how neglecting this area can ripple out and impact every aspect of life.

This episode is packed with inspiration, practical tips, and the powerful reminder that it’s never too late to take control of your health and your life! 

Let's do this! 

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, join me for one of THE most important conversions I have EVER had! 

This chat is a gift for all of us! 

At just 26, Damian Willemse is already a Rugby legend. The youngest man EVER to win two Rugby World Cups for his Country, South Africa and he is regularly achieving Multiple successes at club level, with his team The Stormers - Damian is flourishing at the very highest level! 

This is not just your average sports star; Damian could be one of the greatest of all time. 

So, how could an International Cup winning Sports Star possibly ‘IMPROVE’ and ‘ACCELERATE’ his overall performance and well being???

You guessed it - Going ALCOHOL FREE! 

As a middle-lane drinker, Damian began to become increasingly aware of the negative impacts alcohol was having on his life. From hangovers to low productivity to weekend lie-ins, even the person he became when he was a few drinks into a ‘binge’ session did not align with the man he knew he was. 

So he decided to take a 90-day break - and something incredible happened

Join us for a superpowered conversation, where we chat about: -

• What comes with being a professional athlete, on and off the pitch.
• Dealing with Injury and the impacts on mental health. 
• The marginal gains of living AF
• Socialising AF - How it feels and how it changes.
• How the effects of alcohol impact our relationships.
• Living with Gratitude and how to nurture this. 
• Occasional Binges and how they take their toll.

I left this conversation filled with admiration for a Young man who epitomises optimal performance and limitless potential. Damian's mindset and actions are a powerful reminder to us all that, no matter how far we have come in life, or how much we have achieved, there's always more that we can access - however that may look to you. 

Lets Do this! 

Your coach, 

Andy

On today's mid-week episode of the Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, I share five things I’ve learnt at 50 that I wish I had known at 30.

I will start with a confession. 

When I share these insights I am really saying out loud what I need to work on.

Therefore, my ideas are all work in progress rather than completed goals.

The five lessons are as follows:

1. You can’t do everything 
2. You have more time than you think 
3. Slow down to speed up
4. Little and often wins the race
5. The most important lesson

Today, I wanted to focus on the most important lesson.

During my 50th birthday dinner speech in Dublin, I wanted to share with my friends and loved ones the most important thing I had discovered about life.

I recalled that over the last ten years, I had been fortunate to learn from some incredible people and study a great deal of literature and thinkers.

From all this research, I have concluded that happiness, fulfilment, and meaning all revolve around the same thing.

Therefore, if I could sum up this life thing with one thing, in the words of the Beatles, it would be this:

“All you need is love.”

*At this point in my speech, as I hoped they would, the whole group joined in to create a wonderful moment I will never forget:

“da, da, da, da, daaaa’

“All you need is love, love, love is all you need.”

****

For a deep dive into all 5 of the lessons I have learned at 50, I wish I had known at 30. 

Check out the podcast today!

Your coach 

Andy

PS - We are enrolling now!!!!

If you want to transform your mind, body, and potentially career and go on a six-month learning adventure with me, then come with me and learn to coach.

In January, I will personally train a small group in the art of life/executive/alcohol-free coaching so they, too, can unlock the meaning they seek by “giving back”.

Click here to find out more - https://andyramagetraining.com/dcpp-course-details/

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, we are joined by Hadley Sorensen, who wrote a book on the topic and is here to break down the facts! 

Hadley, a self confessed (ex) party girl, shares how she went from sipping Cosmos, to blackout weekend drinking to writing a book on the Truth and Transformation that alcohol had on her social life, before and after drinking!

For Hadley, change didn’t require hitting rock bottom. One morning, she simply knew life had more to offer than the cycle of regular hangovers.

In her journey to untangle the grip of alcohol, Hadley embraced self-discovery, redefining what socialising really means to her. By removing alcohol, she found clarity, authentic connection, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Her book, The Dirty Truth on Social Drinking, offers a refreshingly relatable take on the joys of living and thriving sober. Hadley’s insights are a must-read for anyone curious about the limitless possibilities of an alcohol-free life.

We chat about: -

• The fear of what will happen to our social lives, when we remove Alcohol!
• Fun without alcohol? Is it possible? How will it look? 
• Social and cultural influences that push a ‘social narrative’ that alcohol is a key component to fun and connection. 
• Friends - How can we make new friends if we are not out drinking? 
• Smashing the ‘out of date’ belief, that living without alcohol is ‘boring!’ 
• No rock bottom required! - How a limitless, authentic life is available to all of us!  
• Uncovering our true selves - Living as an Introvert!

I left this conversation buzzing with enthusiasm!. Hadley has a unique, straight forward way of laying out the limitless benefits of going Alcohol-free and is a brilliant example of how we begin to Thrive, explore and discover our authentic selves, when we remove just one thing! 

Comment below and let me know your thoughts about this chat and the topic of Socialising Sober - What does your Sober social life look like? What/if anything has changed? Where do you socialise? Have you made new friends since going alcohol-free? 

Tag someone who you think would like this episode or share it with someone who would benefit from discovering that our social lives just get going, when we remove alcohol! 

Let's Do this! 

Your Coach, 

Andy

And you thought this was just a podcast about alcohol-free advantages!! 

Here we are wrestling with the biggest questions of all. So, before we move on, thank you for being courageous enough to join me on this adventure to meaning and purpose. It is so rare that we take the time to reflect on these important questions.

Before we attempt to answer the BIG question, I will turn to one of my favourite mentors and researcher, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and his genius book, ‘Flow: The Psychology of Happiness’.

Flow is a scientific concept for what athletes call being in the zone. 

These are moments when time seems to disappear, the self dissolves into the activity and you become one with what you are doing.

Equally you can experience this sense of flow within any activity from gardening, to spending time with friends, writing, work, or on the sporting field. Also our life goals will often provide the feedback and structure to elicit the experience of a flow state.

Mihaly’s research found that flow states are incredible for our overall well-being.  The more time in flow, the happier and healthier we become.

However, there is also something much bigger at play.

Imagine you found a goal big enough and challenging enough that enveloped your whole live.

A life mission or life project.

In essence, trying to reach this goal could bring flow to every element of your life. Even the mundane could be transformed into part of your overall goal.

Mihaly puts it like this:

“What this involves is turning all life into a unified flow experience. If a person sets out to achieve a difficult enough goal, from which all other goals logically follow, and if he or she invests all energy in developing skills to reach that goal, then actions and feelings will be in harmony, and the separate parts of life will fit together—and each activity will “make sense” in the present, as well as in view of the past and of the future. In such a way, it is possible to give meaning to one’s entire life.”

Yes, for most of us fortunate ones, we could all do a million things and have a million goals. 

But what if you had just one super goal, and you put all your life energy into it?

This singular focus could turn your whole life into a meaningful experience. 

Mihaly continues, 

“In this sense the answer to the old riddle “What is the meaning of life?” turns out to be astonishingly simple. The meaning of life is meaning: whatever it is, wherever it comes from, a unified purpose is what gives meaning to life.”

Here is the major point - it does not matter what the goal is. This is not a goal-off who has the best goal competition. 

The goal must matter to you and be big enough to fuel you with meaning for the rest of your days.

“The challenge might involve the desire to have the best beer-bottle collection in the neighbourhood, the resolution to find a cure for cancer, or simply the biological imperative to have children who will survive and prosper. As long as it provides clear objectives, clear rules for action, and a way to concentrate and become involved, any goal can serve to give meaning to a person’s life.”

So, for a bit of fun, here is your reflection:

Now we have the answer to the meaning of life!!

All you need to do is find your one BIG goal.

Don’t worry about the how-to - Take some time this week to try to answer this question:

What goal or goals could you think of that could be big enough to provide a life of flow?

Let me know how you get on.

After 50 years of searching, I found mine - Transform the world’s relationship with alcohol.

Your coach 

Andy