 Today we're talking to Wiz Karyona, who is a 30 year old machine operator in an Australian coal mine in the rural town of Blackwater. Wiz is actually from a place called Levin in New Zealand. Did I pronounce that right, Wiz? Levin? Or is it Levin? Levin? Levin. Yeah. There you go. I butchered it. Sorry about that. And Wiz is 90 days alcohol free today. I remember exactly 90 days ago, I was in Canberra Australia talking to Wiz and he was telling me that he wanted to change certain areas of his life and he knew he was drinking too much. He joined us in our 90 day experience and now he's very happily and proudly 90 days alcohol free. First of all, mate, congratulations, Wiz. Well done. Thank you. Tell us a little bit about what life was like in the days before you joined us in this 90 day experience. Like what inspired you to want to give up the booze for what sounds like good now? Yeah, pretty much it's just lifestyle, lifestyle of just because we work like a roster out here. It's like seven days on, seven days off or four on, four off or something like that. That's what most minds do. And it's just a life cycle of you finish work, you feel good. So you get on, get drunk and then you end up hungover. Then you do it again and then it's just consistent when you go back to work. It's just productive days. You just don't really do anything of value anyway. And how long had you been aware of this, that you were wasting time by drinking the way that you were drinking? Were you thinking about this for months or years or just days and weeks? Probably a few years, just a few like a few years of like knowing it, thinking about it, but not really doing anything. You just sort of said it'd be right, you know what I mean? And having that, don't worry about it, attitude, sort of self out later and then later never comes. So yeah. Yeah, and just give our listeners a little bit of context. Describe the town of Blackwater for our listeners because you shared with me back then that you had a perception that almost everyone in a town in a small Australian rural town drank and so you felt like if you were going to give up drinking, you were going to be the odd one out and there'd be nothing to do and no one at all too and you wouldn't have any friends. So just give us a little bit of context. Tell us about Blackwater. Pretty much Blackwater is like in Blackwater you got three pubs in a like grocery store. That's that's the town. So you know what happened there? Oh, yeah, so you're more likely to walk out of your house and find a pub than anything else. Just your like typical like country Australian town, I guess, typical country town in January. So there is. Yeah, three pubs in one supermarket. And so when you finished work, you'd go to the pub. Yeah, pretty much most of the time or you just usually first thing you do after your days off is drink your first day off. Drink whatever I'm from work or drink whatever. And what were you drinking? Oh, whatever, whatever. Oh, I've never been the one thought to just have like a certain type of drink. I just had like probably one or two things that I don't drink and then anything else. I'm, yeah, if it's there, I'll drink it. And so when you joined us, you had some goals that you wanted to accomplish over the 90 days. You want to just tell us what they were and then tell us what happened or what didn't happen. And then maybe to share what you are thinking now, because you did share with me before we started this interview that your goals changed a little bit or changed in a big way over the 90 days. So maybe just tell us what were your goals when you started and how have they shifted from here or from then? Sorry. Pretty much, yeah, I kind of thought like, oh, I'd have to leave, you know, move towns or move, move away. Otherwise, I'll never be able to do it just because there's nothing here. But yeah, I think it doesn't really faze me anymore as much as it did then, because I've had it in my head that everyone here drinks or, you know, there's nothing here to do other than drink. But you wouldn't. I didn't really know. I would have never known any different back then if there was anything to do outside of drinking, because I had never done it. So if you're, you know, stuck in that environment, the only time you do something social was going to the pub. That's the only place you're going to find people, you know, that's your only social environment. And then that's pretty much what you're going to find. Yeah, you're never going to find anything new, I guess, if you're constantly doing the same thing over and over again. So yeah, like, there's a lot more to do in this town than I probably initially assumed, because all I had ever done was drink. I just assumed that's all there was to do, if that makes sense. And so having clarity from being alcohol-free opened your eyes up to other things or other groups of people in Blackwater. Is that what you're saying? Yeah, there's like, there's stuff to do. And if you go look for it, even just within, like, now when you've got the mental clarity and the energy to do it, you can, like, any project or anything that you wanted to do, just at home within, or like, within yourself, within your own personal goals or whatever it may be, like, they become a lot more accessible when you're not hung over and not feeling the best or, you know, doubting yourself because you feel bad because you're hung over or you're just not functioning at the your highest capabilities. And you said that you met some people who also didn't drink, which was surprising to you and that you had some really deep, conscious conversations with them and that maybe conversations, you know, that you'd used to be having down at the pub. You started to look upon those as being maybe a little bit more trivial or surface level. You just just talk us a little bit about what you became aware of with conversations with people and different groups of people. Yeah, pretty much I just, not like a lot of people, but just certain people, one or two or whatever. You just, yeah, you end up having a bit more of a deeper conversation with them based on, like, I think mostly because we sort of stopped drinking around the same time within the same sort of time frame. The same sort of challenges started to come up at around the same times. So you sort of know that, like, just little things that you start to notice that you never noticed before, little changes or whatever. They become points of interest and conversation, I guess. And they're usually quite, you know, they're a bit more conscious than your basic conversations that you have when you're, you know, drinking or at parties or whatever, when you're just talking about the weather or work or basic stuff. It sort of opens up, yeah, it opens up for a bit more of a real conversation, I guess. Because, yeah, your life's going to change when you stop drinking. Like, it's not just removing this action. Like, your life actually changes and stuff starts to show up that you didn't notice before. Like, even just being more self-conscious or not self-conscious, self-aware. Like, you're going to grow in more ways than just not being drunk, I guess. So how have you grown in ways other than just not being drunk? Oh, like, I've probably read more books this in 90 days than I have in the last nine years, I guess, because, I don't know, you can just pay, you can actually focus on them. You actually know what you're like, you're not just reading it, then forgetting it two minutes later and then having to read it again. Like, your focus has improved, you have a bit more mental clarity. All right, your energy levels are way up. So, like, you're not waking up feeling seedy and trying to force yourself to do basic tasks. You're like, you get up and do everything you need to do for the day. And then you're sitting there going, oh, I've still got plenty of energy. Like, what am I going to do now? So you start to fill it with other things, like other things that you want to do. Whatever it is that you want to do, you're probably going to find a way to, I guess there's less resistance between you and the task at hand because you're sort of firing on all cylinders, I guess. Yeah, and the less resistance there is means that you take the action. Yeah, like, I posted it, I made a music video, posted it on my Instagram. I was, like, scared as of doing that, like, I don't know, years ago or even, like, three months ago. And I just did it because why not? Like, what's the worst that can happen? That's awesome, mate. I actually wrote a song, my first ever song, about three weeks ago. Yeah, I was with a friend of Puerto Rico and he mixes music, electronic music. And I was doing a gym session with him in Old San Juan, which is the capital of Puerto Rico there. And I was like, I've always thought I'd be pretty good at writing a song. And he kind of made fun of me going, yeah, you don't have any songwriting ability. And I went, all right, when I finish this workout, I'm going to go upstairs. I'm going to write a song, get it done in 15 minutes. And so we finished the workout and that's what I did. I went upstairs, I got on my computer and I wrote a song in 15 minutes. I wrote the lyrics and he was he was pretty impressed. And then he put a little tune to it. And then a couple of weeks later, I was in Tulum, Mexico and I ran into an old friend of mine and he's a great singer and I was telling him about. And he said, oh, send me the lyrics. Oh, OK, so sending the lyrics. And then a week later, he goes, oh, I'm saying them for you. I'm saying, saying the lyrics for you. I'm like, geez, that's awesome. And then next thing you know, I've got the first draft of a song with my with my words and I'm producing it and we're going to get a proper sound engineered and kind of cool how that organically came about. And I'm assuming like, you know, maybe maybe you had some cool organic things that happened for you during these 90 days without alcohol. Yeah, I just started doing like different stuff. I think that was probably the closest thing I can think of to be organic. It was like, I just started doing because I had so much time when not being hungover and not, you know, not really doing anything else. Like I was doing like a yoga class that is like way out of my like usual style of things that I do. But like, yeah, did a class of yoga. And then what else? Yeah, made that video like I've been making music for years, but like I probably doubled the amount that I would make like in a week because I just got no, you know, like the energy is there. There's so much energy. That's probably the biggest thing is you have so much energy and your mind is a bit more like, yeah, clear. And you're probably a bit more confident because you're not feeling bad about anything. So you sort of walk into things that you normally wouldn't because you think, oh, yeah, I may not do it well, but I can do it. You know, I mean, I may not be good at it, but I can at least do it. And then I'll get better as time goes on. So someone's listening and they're having trouble getting rid of alcohol out of their life. What were you able to do? Like, what was the tactic or the actions that you took this time around that enabled you to quit for 90 days? Whereas previously you hadn't either attempted it or you had been unsuccessful. Like, what was it? Because people listening to this show in this episode, they kind of they want to know, what's the secret? How do you how do you quit? How did you quit quiz? I'm sorry. How did you quit? Honestly, I'm tight. So once that money left my account, there was no way there was no way. There was no way. There was no way you weren't going to succeed. Is that what you mean? I was just saying you cut out there. I think you said there was no way. What? Oh, there was no way that I was not going to get to 90 days. There was no way because I'm there. That's just me. But yeah, I think, yeah, definitely if you. Yeah, I don't know. Once you have that serious commitment to it, because I was always like, yeah, I'll start next week. You know what I mean? Or something would come up after this weekend or after this party. Like once you make that serious commitment, then. And there's like, I guess skin in the game is what you called it. Like, like, there's something real there that you like you have to do this now. Like, you actually have to do this. It makes it. There's there's no real. That's how I looked at it anyway. It's like, there's no there's no other option now. You have to do it. I've got to do this. And that's it. So you're referring to the the cost of admission, I guess, the the investment, the enrollment fee to join Project 90, which is significant, which is significant. It's nothing. I mean, it's it's it's not much money when you compare it to how much money you're wasting in spending money on alcohol and how much money you don't generate in your life because you're operating at a five or a six out of ten instead of an eight or a nine. So it's penny, it's pennies, right? It's hardly anything. But in the moment, I guess you're sharing that it felt like a lot to be able to go, well, I'm just going to invest this amount of money to get the coaching to get the accountability. Yeah. Because another thing that we are like, I sort of noticed because I like giving up bringing not not as long of probably about, I don't know, here and there. And every time I did, that's when I got pay rises or that's when I got promoted or that's when I stepped up in my job in some way or another was during those times when I wasn't drinking. And I had never noticed it, never really paid attention to it. Like, I never really noticed that those things happened during those times until like, I think it was during the coach. I can't remember coaching call or one of the coaching calls when I realized like, oh, like, I've been holding myself back all these years and I didn't even know it. Like, I wasn't even aware of it. Yeah. You are unconscious. Pretty much. And what did you become conscious to during this experience? What did you realize? What did you discover? Do something comfortable is probably for the better. If you're going to, yeah, nothing like if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. So it's like there's thousands of sayings about that. But it's they're all true because you're not going to change anything. You keep saying next week is next week. Still going to be next week, next week, you know, just never you're never in you go there again. Everything that's benefited my life just as a whole has been has come off the back of an uncomfortable situation or an uncomfortable act or feeling. So those are the ones to come in and to more being interviewed by me on this podcast episode feels uncomfortable for you, right? Yeah. Yeah. I think the conversation we had just before this was literally do you like uncomfortable situations? And I was like, that's that was the selling point. Yeah, I've got to do this now because I don't want to do it. And it's uncomfortable, but it'll probably be worth it now. Yeah. Well, good on you for saying yes. Initially, you were kind of, I'm not sure about that. And then and then you were like, OK, yes, let's do it. And then a minute later, we hit record and here we are. So. Yeah. Yeah. But I can add that to my resume now. Add that to my list of things I've done. Yeah. Well, it's leaning into the discomfort, isn't it? Yeah. And and drinking is not leaning into the discomfort. Drinking is drinking is relieving yourself of the discomfort, but not growing. So it gives you that temporary and illusionary relief. But really, it's keeping you stuck. Yeah, 100 percent. So things are going to be uncomfortable in life. You just got to choose which uncomfortable you want. So you're going to have the uncomfortable of being stuck or you're going to have the uncomfortable of getting unstuck. But either way, you're going to feel some discomfort, aren't you? Like it's like people say being broke is hard. Being rich is hard, too. Like you've got to work, right? So you just choose your hard. You can you can be, you know, you can feel it feel like it's hard and challenging, creating financial wealth, or you can feel like it's hard and challenging being poor and always struggling. It's like, you know, like, whatever way you look at it. There's discomfort. Just choose what discomfort you want. Yeah. Pretty much, yeah, you just got to choose the discomfort that's going to benefit you or you're just going to sit in the same discomfort that you've always known. Yeah, I've been I've been researching or studying a lot of stoicism recently. So there's a book called Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman emperor and the Stoics talk about that a lot. They say that you actually want life to be hard. Well, you want life to feel hard at times, because that's where all the growth is. It's like I was in the gym before. Trying to pump up my vanity muscles, my biceps, and I was lifting heavy weights and doing bicep curls. Man, it felt hard, especially like on the 10th or 11th and 12th rep when I'm like, I felt really hard. And now I've had a protein shake and I've had chicken and vegetables for lunch. And tonight I'll sleep really well. And tomorrow, tomorrow night, the next day, my muscles will be bigger and my muscles will be stronger because I just put them through discomfort. And now my muscles are going to be stronger and they're going to be able to lift more. And my vanity muscles will pop out of my shirts and I'll be able to look in the mirror and blow little kisses to myself and go, how are you, Stud? I'm being ridiculous. But, you know, like it's the same with life, right? You're learning, you're growing right now because you agreed to be on this podcast and it feels uncomfortable. But at the end of it, you're going to, I hope, and I'm sure, I'm confident you will feel a sense of accomplishment. And then when your friends in the future are asking you about how to quit drinking, you can just flick them this episode, right? Yeah, pretty much. Saves me having to say all this to them. They can just listen to it themselves. And I get the spin-off effect that I get a new listener to the show. So that's good. We're both winning. Everyone's winning. You're winning. I'm winning. And your friend who's asked and for the podcast episode is winning. Have friends been curious and inquisitive about you being alcohol-free, like, like, have they expressed admiration for you or have they asked questions about it? Do they, does it seem to you like your friends are now curious to do this? Yeah. But I think it's like, it's kind of like how I was for the last few years, sort of conscious of the fact that something needs to change or nothing's going to change. But still sort of in that stage of, oh, I don't really know, maybe next week, you know what I mean? But eventually they'll get to that point where they either go, either, oh, who knows, maybe they won't, you know, maybe they want the easy, I don't know, the easy is the right word, but the usual comfort over the growing comfort, growing uncomfort, I should say. Discomfort, yeah. Discomfort, that's the word. Yeah. Yeah. So what's your intention now with your drinking, Wiz? No, I'm just not going to drink anymore. Like, I don't want to do it. Like, I just don't want to drink. Wonderful. Like, once you hit, once you feel how good you feel without it, like it doesn't compare to how good you feel when you're drinking, because it's not that good. Yeah, great. And life will be better because of that, I'm sure. I mean, like you were already saying to me before that you were contemplating buying a house, it seems like you made some music videos and a few other things. So it seems like you're doing things and taking actions that ordinarily you wouldn't have if you were drinking. Is that correct? And you maybe just share a little more on that? Yeah, pretty much like, because I'm not, yeah, not hungover all the time and not feeling, because I'm running on all cylinders, like I'm operating at a higher level, just physically. So like all your, I don't know, tasks that used to seem difficult or even impossible don't seem that impossible anymore. You just start chipping away at it because you have the energy to do it, I guess. Mm, fantastic. All right, well, let's wrap it up now. So any final words of encouragement for the listener or listeners who are either contemplating quitting drinking on their own or quitting drinking with some support or quitting drinking specifically without support, that being the 90-day experience, any advice, words of wisdom, encouragement for them? Yeah, do the uncomfortable thing. That'll probably be it. Because if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you'll get the same results. Nothing's gonna change unless you change. Yeah, nice one. Well, if you're listening and you're willing to do the uncomfortable thing in order to grow, go to alcoholfreelifestyle.com. If you would like to apply to be a part of our 90-day experience where we rewire your brain around alcohol and get you taking massive steps and leveling up in your life, you can book a call and have a friendly conversation with one of my coaches. You can go to alcoholfreelifestyle.com forward slash project 90 and there's some information there. And if you want to just jump straight to booking a call and having a conversation, you can actually schedule a call at alcoholfreelifestyle.com slash schedule. Also, if you're in the US actually, if you're in the US and you're on a mobile phone, then you can text me at the number 44222 and just send me the word project 90, PROJECT and then the number 90 and that will trigger an automated text message response, which will be a link to that calendar where you can schedule to talk to one of our coaches. Wiz ended up speaking to me 90 days ago on the phone. So you may still end up speaking to me or I might be one of my team, but Wiz and I had a conversation. How did you feel on that conversation? Just before you said, yes, I'm in, let's do it. Nervous, but worried, uncomfortable. But you took the action anyway, didn't you? Yeah, just jumped into it pretty much. Well done, mate. Congratulations, Wiz. Cheers. Wiz Cariona, 30 from Blackwater in rural Australia. He's a machine operator in Australian coal mine there. And he is now 90 days alcohol free today. Let's check in. I'll check in with you in another nine months, Wiz, and we'll see whether you're going for the one-year alcohol free or you'll let me know rather than me checking in with you. Will you let me know when you hit? In fact, let's do this. Let me know when you hit six months and then let me know again when you hit one year. Is that a deal? Yeah, he does. Sweet as, I love it. All right, mate. Well done and thanks again. Oh, thanks. Thanks for listening to the Alcohol Free Lifestyle podcast. I wanna load you up with some free stuff right now. So if you wanna go to jameswanick.com slash guide, I will send you my quit alcohol guide, which has helped six figure entrepreneurs and top professionals produce or quit drinking. You can also text the word quit guide to the number 44222 if you're in the US, of course. It doesn't really work anywhere outside of the US, but if you're in the US on your mobile phone and you'd like that guide, text the word quit guide to the number 44222 or you can go to jameswanick.com slash guide. If you'd like to schedule a free 15 minute call with one of my top coaches, just an exploratory call to see if or how we can help you, then you can go to jameswanick.com slash schedule or you can text the word project 90 to the number 44222 if you're listening in the US on a mobile phone. That's jameswanick.com slash schedule or you can text the word project 90, that's one word, project 90, to the number 44222. Feel free to send me a direct message over on my Instagram account which is at jameswanick. You can also watch video episodes of this podcast and a series of other educational videos on my YouTube channel, which is jameswanickone or you can direct message me on Facebook at jameswanickofficial. And finally, a request. 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