Blueprint >> Eliminate Addictions

Disclaimer: This document is in raw form as I process and distill 4 years-worth of my personal development notes. Expect some typos and cryptic language for now. I will be updating frequently and polishing up.

Prescription: Eliminate addictions.
Related Concepts: Shadow Work, Charged Life

What is it to Eliminate Addictions?

The idea that you need to get rid of all the monkey's on your back. Addictions are holding you back from performing and feeling your best.

Why is it Important?

Addictions leech the quality of your life and distract you from doing the higher-consciousness things you really want to do. Addictions actively propagate dissatisfaction, pain, frustration, and guilt. Addictions give a dirty high, ruin relationships, and destroy lives.

Eliminate Addictions Videos

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Eliminate Addictions: Key Points

All addictions are unhealthy, low-consciousness behaviors that usually serve as band-aids, keeping you from facing the work you need to do. An addiction is an emotional crutch. It is usually there to give you a sense of short-lived pleasure to dull out the pain in some other part of your life.

What in your life are you avoiding facing? It could a sour marriage, a job you know isn't right for you, a stack of debt you need to work you way out of, an action you deeply regret, etc.

Addictions keep you from being happy because they generate lots of negative emotions consistently. You will feel guilty, unhealthy, out of integrity, malaise, depression, empty satisfaction, frustration, etc.

Common addictions:

• TV
• Gossip
• Tabloids
• Partying
• Shopping
• Internet
• Facebook/Twitter
• News
• Negative thinking
• Food
• Porn
• Gambling
• Alcohol
• Drugs

Get rid of all of the above. None of these things should serve as an emotional crutch. As you eliminate addictions you will free up time and resources for positive habits, work, relationships, etc.

For the harder addictions like food, drugs, alcohol, and gambling, there are excellent programs out there that can help you. For the softer addictions like gossip, internet, and TV, the best thing to do is get involved in personal development — start reading books, journaling, and making some changes.

Don't underestimate softer addictions like TV and negative thinking — they are ruining your life and keeping you stuck. You cannot move forward and be a happy, high-energy, creative person while weighed down by soft addictions. It's important to eliminate them.

The best way to eliminate an addiction is to stop focusing on it. Don't just not do the bad thing, replace it with something positive. 1 Because you only have so much time in the day, you can displace bad habits with good habits. You can literally make yourself too busy to overeat or smoke or watch TV. That's why life purpose is so important, it will displace a lot of bad habits.

References

1. Awaken the Giant Within, Anthony Robbins