Reflections: 2 Years Alcohol-Free
The surprising part about not drinking for 2 years.
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Two weeks ago, I hit a milestone: 2 years alcohol-free.
I posted about it on LinkedIn and was blown away by the response: hundreds of messages from people opening up about their own journeys. Some were struggling. Others were just curious about sobriety.
I never drank to the point where alcohol became a problem, but I did stop drinking because I wanted to create an extraordinary life for myself, and that required more time, energy, and focus.
So, on March 14, 2023, I went cold turkey and completely eliminated alcohol from my life.
Each year, I take a moment to reflect on the decision and whether my point of view has shifted. (Spoiler: It has.)
Here’s my honest take, two years in:
The main benefits:
Finding my superpower: Going alcohol-free flipped a switch I didn’t know existed. I have so much energy now, enough to fill a 16-hour day with deep work, quality time, and working out. It feels like time travel. No more blurry nights. No more half-assed hangouts. I’m present at each moment, and I’ve massively increased my capacity for friends, family, work, and for just… doing stuff. It’s awesome.
Being unshakeable: Consistently saying no to drinking trained my “no” muscle in all areas of life. No more peer pressure. I don’t make a big deal about being sober, but when someone asks why, I give them the honest answer: I wanted more out of my life.
Reaching heightened aliveness: Cutting out alcohol (and other junk like toxic people, binge eating, and doomscrolling) made everything else feel richer. It opens up your sense to all the good stuff, like fresh air, exercise, and deep conversations, and it makes life so much more dynamic. You don’t actually realize how numb your senses are until you stop numbing them.
Mutual admiration: A surprising number of the people I admire—founders, operators, creators—are either sober or minimal drinkers. Like my friend Laurie, a journalist, media personality, and entrepreneur, or Jesse, who runs a multi-hundred-million-dollar venture fund. Because of this sobriety thing, we have mutual respect for each other, and it’s let us connect on a deeper level.
Going beast mode: Physically, I feel like a 9/10 every day. I’m leaner, sharper, more focused, and feel like a badass. I don’t need as much caffeine, sugar, or food as I thought, and I’ve stopped relying as much on external substances as consistent sources of energy and instead learned to create my own. It turns out that humans can be pretty self-sufficient!
Chasing cheap dopamine: After quitting alcohol, I stopped reaching for cheap dopamine, like sugar, screens, social media, and other short-term highs. Instead, I lean more into real dopamine: workouts, reading, writing, and type 2 fun… the hard-but-worth-it kind.
Building a personal brand: Sobriety has unintentionally become part of my personal brand. Do people think I’m lame? Virtue signaling? Admirable? A recovering addict? I have no clue. But I’d be naive to think it hasn’t impacted my bottom line. My guess? It’s been a massive net positive.
Creating positive influences: My decision to quit drinking has rubbed off on people around me. Friends are drinking less. Family is more mindful. It’s great because everyone around me has become healthier. (The only downside? My cousin, a senior exec at a global alcohol company, is very disappointed in me. Sorry, Emma.)
Eliminating social anxiety: Ironically, my social anxiety improved when I stopped drinking. Most people depend on alcohol to connect. But when you remove the buffer, you learn two things fast:
You can build real relationships without it.
You might not actually like the people you were drinking with in the first place.
The downsides:
As much as I’ve gained, there are trade-offs. Here are the things I’m still grappling with:
Increased introversion: I used to be the guy who would talk to strangers in elevators, make 10 new “friends” a night, and break the ice by making a fool of myself. Now, I’m more reserved, quiet, and cautious. I prefer one deep conversation to get to know someone’s motivations and aspirations over ten surface-level ones. It’s not necessarily bad, but alcohol did play a role in shaping a more outgoing version of me. Without it, I’ve had to rediscover my social identity from scratch.
Concerts and parties are less fun: I won’t lie; I miss the euphoric experience of getting plastered at concerts and parties. You just can’t replicate this experience. But on the flip side, it makes me chase productive dopamine, like cold plunges, long workouts, and getting in flow.
Reducing spontaneity: A wise person once said, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” I blatantly disagree. Sometimes, the real fun starts at 12:01 AM—the kind of stories you reminisce about a decade later. But without alcohol, it’s harder to create those serendipitous experiences. I still miss them.
Working more: The time I used to spend partying (and recovering) has been replaced with reading, writing, learning, and working on my business. I love my work, but I also feel like I’ve become more one-dimensional as a person and that my identity is too wrapped up in my work output and achievement.
One-way doors: I’m aware of the doors I’ve closed as a result of my decision to go sober (and being public about it). Alcohol brands no longer sponsor me. Neither do traditional party and hospitality companies. I probably don’t get invited to certain things anymore because I’m “the sober guy.” And if I ever wanted to work at a company with a heavy drinking culture? That door might be closed, too.
Am I less fun? I think about this more than I’d like to admit. Is it the alcohol-free thing? Or is it just me getting older (I’m 29)? Hard to say. But it’s a question that lingers, especially when you're used to being the life of the party and now find yourself on the sidelines by choice.
Over the past few years, sobriety has become fashionable with the emergence of zero-proof cocktails, science-backed case studies, and celebrity endorsements.
But I think the pendulum is swinging back.
Moderate drinking is making a comeback as a socially “acceptable” middle ground.
Personally, I think for the average person, drinking in moderation (a few drinks each week) might be the best move for social and physical health.
Unless you’re maniac on a mission. Which in that case, join me in soberland.
Until next time,
Btw, I joined a gym called CONTINUUM in Tribeca. Since January, I’ve been working out 4–5x a week, doing deadlifts, squats, sauna + cold plunge, and it’s been a massive unlock.
The secret? Expert guidance. I don’t overthink anything. I just show up and do the work.
If you’re interested in skipping the waitlist, hit reply and I’ll introduce you to the team.
📌 Andrew’s Bookmarks
Important links to help you become wiser, smarter, and more creative.
How to Get Hired at a Startup by Michael Karnjanaprakorn — An excellent piece on how to land a role at an early-stage startup. Hint: it’s very different than how you’d interview at a large enterprise.
How to Host in 2025 by Ben Christenson — How to go from good to great as an event host and community builder.
Gen Z and the End of Predictable Progress by Kyla Scanlon — How the last decade has impacted Gen Z’s views on linear careers, life success metrics, and attitude toward traditional institutions. Btw, Kyla is THE Gen Z cultural spokesperson.
How to Pitch Your Startup with Naomi Goez (Forum Ventures) & Andrew Yeung (April 8) – If you’re serious about raising money, attracting partners, or just getting people to believe in what you’re building, this is for you.
The OOO Summit (May 16) – Apply to attend our event for top entrepreneurs, creators, and builders in NYC. We'll be joined by incredible speakers like Andrew Yang, Sahil Bloom, Justin Welsh, Simran Kaur, and many more.
💼 Job Board
Sharing job opportunities my friends are hiring for. If we know each other, feel free to reach out, and I can connect you directly.
Startup Community Manager, Intercom (mssg John Roche)
Head of Engineering, Carry
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🖼️ Behind the Scenes
I announced a big product launch today.
Why? Because after 4 years of hosting events, I’ve seen it all.
The corny name tags. The performative listening. The forced small talk.
It’s become clear: what today’s professionals need isn’t just mixers.
It’s mixtures.
That’s why today, as an extension of Andrew's Mixers, I’m excited to announce our newest product:
Andrew’s Mixtures.
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Our flagship flavor: Jelly Beans.
Want it? Comment 🫘 on this LinkedIn post and you’ll be the first to know.
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Congratulations. That’s a big one, even if maintained just one day at a time.
I'd love an intro to the CONTINUUM team!