100 to 15: How I Transformed My Relationship with Alcohol in a Year. The Challenge That Changed My Life.
Summary
In this article, I talk about an alcohol challenge I did in 2024. Its goal was to consume alcohol no more than 15 times in the entire year of 2024. No matter in what quantities and no matter what kind – even if it was a sip of champagne, I considered such a day to be a drinking day. I explain my reasons for doing this challenge, explain where the number 15 came from, share my main goals for this challenge besides the key metric of 15 days, and describe in detail the process of completing the challenge itself. At the end of the article I summarize and share the main conclusions that forever changed my life for the better.
At the end of 2023, I felt an urgent need to significantly reduce my alcohol consumption. As if my heart and soul were crying, persistently signaling and demanding attention.
I had been thinking about this for a long time but had never taken any real steps. Yet, deep down, I was certain: I was drinking more than I should. Alcohol had become one of those factors holding me back from reaching my full potential. I had long outgrown the age when it was “fun” to have a drink without an occasion. I had a family of my own. I had goals, ambitions, and a desire to realize myself, but certain habits were dragging me down. I never wanted to give up alcohol completely, but I realized I was losing control—and that thought wouldn’t leave me alone.
The turning point in my relationship with alcohol came at the end of 2023. Since March 2021, I had been writing in personal journal every day, documenting events, thoughts, moods, personal victories, and failures. When I reread my diaries as part of my year-end review that year, I was confronted with an unpleasant truth: if I had a drink, it wasn’t a conscious choice I had made; rather, it was something that dictated the rules of the game for me.
I decided not only to reconsider my habits but also to understand what was driving them. After all, alcohol itself was just a symptom, not the root cause.
Journals from 2021-2023
2021
In 2021, I mentioned alcohol in my diary 15 times. However, this number only reflects the entries, not the actual number of times I reflected on the topic. And each time I wrote almost the same thing: that I was sick of drinking, I wanted to reduce its quantity and frequency, and almost always I felt out of the loop after parties with heavy drinking.
Here’s an entry from May 3, 2021. It was Monday, but the party I wrote about had taken place two days earlier—on May 1:
Feeling better today, but not yet in optimal condition. I read this morning, although it wasn’t the best reading I’ve ever done – couldn’t concentrate, read very slowly. That’s how alcohol affects me, or rather, large amounts of it. By the evening, I felt like I had lost my rhythm. I can’t have weekends like the last one. Still feeling disconnected to my routine.
2022
In 2022, nothing has changed, although on January 1, I wrote in my diary that I wanted to reduce alcohol consumption to almost zero. There were periods of several weeks when I didn’t drink at all. Once I even lasted a whole month – this happened during my 66-day challenge of waking up at 5am in the morning. Even then, however, I nearly blew it off when I once had six beers with colleagues, stayed up until midnight, and cursed myself at 5 am the next morning for not being able to just say “no”.
Since the middle of July I started to prepare for the Runmageddon race, which took place on August 20. I decided not to drink at all during the preparation for the run, because I had to endure 12 km with 50 obstacles, and my physical condition 5 weeks before the start was really bad. Despite the decision not to drink, there was one day when I had a few drinks with friends. Again the same story, again the inability to say “no”.
In general, in 2022 I was out of energy. If I drank alcohol, almost every time the next morning I was consumed with guilt and regretted drinking the night before.
And this is where I want to clarify my position on alcohol. I’ve never had a goal of giving it drinking completely. I enjoy having long conversations with my wife in the evenings over a glass of good red dry wine. I enjoy the taste of high-quality, expensive whiskey, especially in the company of close friends. The problem was not the alcohol itself, but the fact that it seemed to me that it was not me who controlled it, but visa versa. And I wanted to change this.
2023
While rereading my diary from 2023, I was struck by one obvious but previously overlooked detail: almost every Friday, when my wife and I went grocery shopping for the next week, I consistently grabbed some kind of alcohol from the shelf and drank it in the evening. Almost 50 times in one year! Yes, I record everything with precision, and that’s what allows me to see the big picture over time – things that in the daily grind just can’t be noticed.
Another important insight from 2023: when I’m on vacation, I drink almost every day, even if I don’t want to. This was the case, for example, in the USA – by far the best trip of my life. There were many cozy evenings with a glass of beer or whiskey in my hand, but sometimes I was clearly drinking too much. And the next day, the inevitable hangover that prevented me from fully experiencing the incredible views and spectacular scenery.
On December 30, our friends invited my wife and me to celebrate New Year’s Eve at their place. At some point, each of us spoke one by one about the most important wish for the year 2024. I didn’t even have to think about it – the decision was final and irrevocable. I realized that it was time to seriously reconsider my attitude towards alcohol and minimize it’s cunsumption. Three years of thinking and talking without taking action was unreasonable, to say the least. It was time to take action.
Why 15 days?
I started by roughly calculating the number of days in 2023 when I consumed alcohol.
First of all, pretty much every Friday. It didn’t matter what exactly or in what quantities I drank, it didn’t matter how difficult the work week was or what mood I was in. After taking an honest look at the situation, I realized that Friday drinking had become a steady habit for me. I ended up writing down the number 45.
Secondly, Saturdays. Since I work from Monday to Friday, weekends are for rest and recovery. On Saturdays I used to drink sometimes as well, and on Sundays, I can still rest or take a walk, and prepare for the new week. However, I drank noticeably less often on Saturdays. After assessing the situation, I decided that 25 was the most accurate number. Combined with Fridays, that makes 70 days in total.
Thirdly, vacations. As I have already written, until recently, for me vacation has always been closely associated with alcohol. In 2023, I spent about 25 days on vacation, and at least 20 of them were accompanied by alcohol. That brought the total to 90 days.
Finally, I added another 10 days for random meetups with friends, unplanned beer or drinks outings during the week. This added up to about 100 days a year – almost a third of all days. And when I realized that number, it seemed like way too many to me.
I wondered how many days I was simply wasting. After drinking evenings, I was often unable to pull myself together and focus properly. And this was time that could have been devoted to something useful: developing 52 Productive, going to the gym, working on skills, moving towards my goals. Instead, I was the one taking away my own opportunities to make my life better.
I came up with the number 15 the following way. One day for each month, plus three additional days for special occasions. Going from a hundred days to fifteen was both a challenge and a necessity. I knew right away that it was going to be very difficult. I wasn’t sure I could make it. But at the end of 2023, the desire for change was stronger than ever.
The main goals for this challenge
My number one goal was to find additional time to work on 52 Productive. The only way to do that was to work on weekend mornings. My main business, Wagner Planters, takes up almost all of my time on weekdays—and sometimes even part of the weekends. Finding a window during the week to focus on 52 Productive was often impossible.
My second goal was simply to reduce alcohol consumption. The number 100 made me seriously reflect not just on my current habits but also on my future. I thought about my health, energy, and willpower. About my dreams, goals, and the path to becoming the best version of myself. About freedom, well-being, and the life I aspire to. At the same time, I pictured the alternative: unrealized potential, unfulfilled dreams, the inability to say “no,” a weak character, and a constant lack of energy.
My third goal was to regain confidence in my ability to achieve ambitious goals. To rebuild the inner strength that comes from believing in myself: setting a difficult challenge, taking action, and seeing results. I wanted to prove myself that I could handle even a tough challenge. I wanted to make achieving big and difficult goals a habit. Unfortunately, I had long forgotten what that felt like.
That was the hardest part
Almost everything we do—or don’t do—is a matter of habit. I truly believe that both achieving goals and failing to reach them are habits as well. Yes, many factors influence the outcome, but in most cases, the main reason for failure is something everyone is familiar with. It’s called compromise.
From a psychological and sociological perspective, compromise is an agreement between conflicting parties based on mutual concessions and a willingness to resolve a dispute. Simply put, it’s a way to reach an agreement that satisfies both sides and helps avoid conflict.
But in this challenge, the conflict was within me. On one side was my past self, who was used to drinking on weekends. On the other was my present self, determined to break old patterns and build a new reality.
When it comes to negotiations between people, companies, or even countries, compromise is an obvious and often necessary tool to preserve relationships. But in matters of personal growth, developing positive habits, and letting go of old habits that hold us back, compromise is a treason against oneself. If a goal is truly important, there can be no room for compromise.
I was never close to giving up, but it was very hard at times. I remember when a friend suggested I change the rules a bit and not count days with alcohol while on vacation. It was a moment of internal battle. If I made that compromise, I would have eventually found another one, and another, and eventually I would fail the whole challenge. One compromise would have turned into a chain of compromises that would have completely ruined the whole thing.
If I had given up, I wouldn’t just return to the starting point – I would fall even lower. It would be a hard hit to my self-esteem, following by a feeling of helplessness and self-abuse. So there were only two options for me: hold on to the end or lose much more than just the challenge.
How did the challenge go
The first few months were surprisingly easy. I allowed myself alcohol for the first time on February 24, then on March 31 and May 3. Only three times in five full months! At the beginning I felt a boost of energy and enthusiasm, because there was something fresh, new and exciting in my life. The challenge itself felt like a reward – I had finally taken a concrete step toward the changes I had been talking about for so long.
But the real challenge began in the middle of the year. During a 10-day vacation in early June, I used five of my planned drinking days. This meant that by mid-year, I had already used eight out of the 15 allowed days. There was still half a year ahead, but only seven days left in my reserve.
After vacation, the challenge no longer seemed easy. The novelty effect was gone, my brain no longer produced dopamine. Physical and emotional fatigue appeared. And with it came doubts – would I be able to make it to the end?
From June to September, the temptation to give up literally hang up in the air. An internal dialogue kept running through my head:
“Well, I’ve done great so far. I drink much less compared to the last year. Maybe that’s enough?” “Maybe I really shouldn’t count the vacation days?” “Summer’s coming up, it’s going to be really tempting to have a cold beer on Friday, have I thought about that?” “I’ve been really tired lately, let’s have a couple of beers on Friday evening.”
But I pulled through. It was one of the toughest periods, and I got through it. In the end of summer of 2024, it became crystal clear—I wasn’t going to stray from this path. And everyone around me saw that this challenge wasn’t just a temporary whim but something truly important to me.
The real battle was happening entirely in my mind. I kept reminding myself how I felt on December 31, 2023, when I made the decision to take on this challenge. I recalled the inner pain that had brought me to that moment and how badly I wanted to change. That helped me stay strong and not give up.
In September, I could feel the finish line approaching. A second wind kicked in naturally. On October 19, I drank alcohol for the 14th time that year—at a friend’s birthday party. But I knew for sure that I was going to win. There were more than two months left until the end of the year and only one drinking day left. I was 100% confident that I would make it to the end of the challenge.
In November and December, the desire to drink appeared less and less often. I was training actively, working on my goals, reading books, and spending time with my wife and friends. And for the first time, I truly felt how amazing it was to be consistently sober. Knowing that on any given day, I could wake up at 5 AM and move toward my dreams gave me an incredible sense of freedom.
On December 31, I couldn’t stop smiling all day. I was proud of myself—of my willpower, discipline, and ability to keep my word. I was celebrating my victory. Every time I passed a mirror, I winked at myself and said: “You’re a champ.”
The 12 Month Habit Tracker helped me a lot in this challenge. The days I drank were marked in orange, and in the Notes section I wrote down the occasion and who I was with at that time. It was a visual proof of my progress – and an extra reason to be proud of myself.
Goals summary
Goal 1: Create additional time to work on 52 Productive
I wake up pretty much always at 5:00am on weekdays, and in 2024 I started doing it on weekends as well. Because of this, by simply working Saturday and Sunday mornings from 5:30 to 9:00, I literally created an extra 250-300 hours a year for myself and invested them in 52 Productive. These were my most productive hours—spent in complete silence with maximum focus.
In total, just on weekends alone, I invested over 500 hours in 52 Productive, and created several great products, including the 10,000-Hour Tracker, where I logged all my work progress.
500 hours of work is a huge amount of time—some of which I could have spent with my wife or simply resting and sleeping. That’s why, at the beginning of 2024, I discussed with my wife what my year would look like. I explained why this was important to me, and she supported my decision.
I had been as committed to 52 Productive in 2024 as I am to my main business – Wagner Planters. Combining alcohol with early weekend mornings? Impossible. Maybe once or twice, but doing it consistently for an entire year? No way. Maybe someone else could pull it off – but definitely not me.
52 Productive started as just a hobby, but now it’s something much bigger. And this challenge helped me fully realize that.
Goal 2: reduce alcohol consumption In 2023, alcohol was a part of my life for 100 days, but in 2024, I have reduced that number to 15. This challenge has become a big step for me towards conscious consumption, self-control and a better quality of life. What has changed?
✔ Physical condition. I gained more energy, improved sleep, and felt better overall. Cutting down on alcohol had a positive impact on other healthy habits—I consistently woke up at 5 AM, went to bed at 9:30 PM, and regularly went to the gym.
✔ Emotional state. Mood fluctuations dissapeared. There were no more feelings of guilt, which I used to have after drinking the night before.
✔ Social situations. I learned to enjoy moments without alcohol, in situations where it used to be a regular part – at birthday parties, soccer games, trips to the mountains. Moreover, in many cases, it turned out that not drinking was actually better.
✔ Change of attitude. Alcohol is no longer an automatic attribute of relaxation. It is now a conscious choice, a rare occurrence, not a habit. I haven’t just reduced its quantity – I’ve redefined my relationship with it and strengthened my self-control.
Goal 3: Restore confidence in my ability to achieve ambitious goals
This challenge required self-discipline, perseverance, and resistance to temptations. All of these are antidotes to the compromises that have governed my life until 2024.
By completing this ambitious challenge, I regained confidence in my ability to achieve difficult goals. I not only reached my goal but also strengthened my inner belief in myself, my willpower, and ability to turn my plans into reality. I am using this success as a solid foundation to conquer even higher peaks in 2025!
Conclusion
If you’ve read this article to the end, it means that the topic of mindful alcohol consumption and self-control resonates with you. Perhaps you have thought about revising your habits, taking control of certain areas of your life, or simply challenging yourself.
What can I say in conclusion? I’m not trying to convince anyone that alcohol is pure evil. My goal is not to persuade to quit drinking or impose my lifestyle on others. I’m simply sharing my experience and showing that change is possible. I learned that if something bothers you for a very long time, don’t ignore it. Take responibility and solve the problem. Otherwise it’s going to be only worse over time.
My main takeaway after this year is that it’s not just about alcohol. The challenge gave me much more: discipline, confidence in my abilities, and extra time for things that truly matter. It showed me that I can manage my habits, rather than letting them control me.
If you have a habit that holds you back, makes you less productive, healthier, or happier – don’t waste you time and do something about it. It’s time to take control. You are the one who decides what your next day, week, month, or year will look like. And I know one thing for sure: the toughest, but most mindful challenges always pay off.
You can do more than you think. The most important thing is to take the first step.
