Think Thursday: The Encodings You Haven't Discovered YetThink Thursday: The Encodings You Haven't Discovered Yet
The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast
Molly Watts talks about Jim Collins’ idea of encodings, neuroplasticity, and how identity is more flexible than many people assume. She links these ideas to changing drinking habits and staying curious about the future versions of yourself that might still emerge.
11:18•11 Jun 2026
Hidden Encodings: Molly Watts on Identity, the Brain, and Drinking Habits
Episode Overview
- Identity is not fixed; it is something you continually create, regardless of age.
- Encodings are areas where your abilities and interests come alive, and you may have many that you haven’t met yet.
- Your past behaviour, including drinking habits, does not define everything you are capable of becoming.
- Changing your relationship with alcohol can free up energy for new strengths, interests, and life chapters.
- Staying curious about who you might become helps keep growth and change possible throughout life.
“Our past only tells us what we've experienced so far. It doesn't tell us everything we're capable of becoming.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? On this Think Thursday instalment of The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly Watts dives into how your brain, identity, and relationship with alcohol are far more flexible than you might think. Speaking directly to habit drinkers and adult children of alcoholics, Molly unpacks Jim Collins’ idea of "encodings"—those activities and interests where your abilities, curiosity, and engagement light up.
Using the story of NFL legend and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page, she shows how one person can express the same deep strengths in wildly different arenas, from professional sport to the law. Molly links this to Benjamin Hardy’s book *Personality Isn’t Permanent* and challenges the familiar phrases like "that’s just who I am" or "I’ve always been the one who drinks." She reminds you that, "Our past only tells us what we've experienced so far.
It doesn't tell us everything we're capable of becoming." You’ll hear how people who change their drinking habits often unlock completely new sides of themselves—returning to study, starting businesses, becoming athletes or artists—once alcohol stops consuming their time and energy. Neuroplasticity isn’t treated as a buzzword here; Molly brings it back to everyday life, stressing that the adult brain is "absolutely capable of change throughout life." The tone is warm, practical, and gently challenging.
Rather than pushing a single "true purpose", Molly nudges you toward curiosity: what strengths might be waiting underneath your current habits? What "encodings" might still be hidden simply because they’ve never had space to show up? If you’ve ever thought, "I’m too old to change" or "this is just who I am", this short brain-focused session might have you asking a different question: what future version of you is still waiting for a chance to appear?
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