Eliminating Your Workaholic Self With Barry GarapedianEliminating Your Workaholic Self With Barry Garapedian
I Love Being Sober
Tim Westbrook talks with Barry Garapedian about how extreme work habits shattered his marriage and how therapy and his seven Fs framework helped him rebuild a balanced, sober life. The conversation looks at workaholism in recovery and offers practical tools for staying connected to family while still being driven.
59:41•8 Jul 2025
From Respectable Addiction to Real Balance: Barry Garapedian on Workaholism and Recovery
Episode Overview
- Workaholism can mirror substance addiction and quietly devastate relationships, even when it looks successful from the outside.
- Balancing the seven Fs – family, faith, friends, fitness, financial stewardship, fun, and philanthropy – helps prevent swapping one obsession for another.
- Consistent therapy, journalling, and handwritten gratitude notes can keep high achievers grounded and aware of relapse warning signs.
- Simple family rules, like personally driving loved ones to the airport and regular shared meals, strengthen connection and reduce isolation.
- Small daily acts such as “practice going first” build confidence, social skills, and leadership in a way that supports, rather than harms, recovery.
“My wife said, "You’re having an affair." I said, "I’m not having an affair." She said, "You’re having an affair with your business."”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This conversation between host Tim Westbrook and guest Barry Garapedian shows how “respectable” addictions like workaholism can quietly wreck a life just as much as alcohol or drugs. You’ll hear Barry trace his rise from a driven Wall Street advisor working 80-hour weeks and training for Ironman races to the day his wife told him he was having “an affair” with his business.
The divorce, three years of separation, and eventual remarriage became what he calls a four-year wake-up call from chronic workaholism. Speaking with a mix of humour and honesty, Barry talks about the pain of losing his family, the role of long-term therapy, and the moment he decided to trade chasing money for creating memories and value for others.
He introduces his “seven Fs” – family, faith, friends, fitness, financial stewardship, fun, and philanthropy – and explains how building a life around these pillars helped him avoid simply swapping one obsession for another. For anyone in sobriety who’s replaced drinking with 12-hour days at the office, Barry’s practical examples hit home.
He shares specific routines that keep him balanced: a structured morning of cold showers and workouts, regular therapy, handwritten gratitude notes, and a family constitution that hard-wires connection through simple rules like personally driving loved ones to the airport and weekly themed dinners.
You’ll also hear how he now coaches young people through Mag7 Consulting, teaching them “practice going first” – being the one to say hello, shake hands, or press the lift buttons – as a tiny but powerful way to build confidence and leadership without burning out. If you’ve ever thought, “At least my addiction is work, not alcohol,” this episode may make you pause and ask: is your hustle helping your recovery, or quietly hurting the people you love?
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