I’m Successful—How Bad Could My Drinking Be? | Mike Curry

I’m Successful—How Bad Could My Drinking Be? | Mike Curry

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation between host Matt Jay and sobriety coach Mike Curry looks at a question many high-achievers wrestle with: "If I'm successful, how bad can my drinking really be?" Matt sets the stage by sharing his own story of growing up with an alcoholic father and using "not being like him" as the bar for his own drinking.

Mike then brings in the perspective of the men he coaches—guys who have "checked all the boxes" on paper but are quietly losing the battle with alcohol, drugs, or other compulsive behaviours like pornography. You’ll hear Mike challenge the idea of the "functioning alcoholic" and explain why he prefers the phrase "thriving sober". He talks about the "quiet cost" of those four-to-six beers a night: scrambled mornings, strained relationships, and drifting further away from your true self.

As he puts it, "The world will give you an identity, and it'll chew you up and spit you out. You're chasing material things... none of those things will ever satisfy." Faith and spirituality come up repeatedly, with Mike sharing how a shift from asking for a BMW and a big house to simply wanting "peace in my heart" marked a turning point in his recovery.

There’s frank discussion of trauma, ego, pride, and why getting brutally honest—especially about the stuff you’d rather hide—is essential for change. The episode also touches on different pathways to sobriety, from AA to coaching to books, and why some high-performing men struggle to relate to traditional recovery spaces. Mike describes his work with these men, helping them redefine success, face their morning-mirror moments, and build a life that isn’t propped up by alcohol.

If you’ve ever used your job, income, or status as proof that your drinking "isn’t that bad", this conversation might feel uncomfortably familiar—but it could also be the nudge you’ve been waiting for.