Counterintuitively, success correlates with higher rates of alcohol problems. High-achievers, often with high negative affect, use alcohol as an effective but destructive tool to manage the intense anxiety and stress that comes with their roles.

Negreanu observed peers who would build a large bankroll, then blow it all. He realized it was subconscious self-sabotage. Having achieved their goal of "making money," they lacked a deeper purpose and would destroy their success to give themselves a new mission: rebuild.

As you contribute more positive work to the world, you are often "attacked" by more seductive vices like lust and greed. These act as a counterweight to your progress, testing your resilience by forcing you to confront the underlying pain they mask.

Success is often viewed as a process of addition—new strategies, more habits. However, the most transformative action is often subtraction. Removing a single, significant negative element that drains energy and focus, like alcohol, unlocks far more potential than any new positive addition could.

Many successful men maintain a perfectionist image rooted in childhood conditioning where love was conditional. When they inevitably fall short, they experience intense shame. Instead of seeking help, they self-medicate with various vices to cope, leading to a private downward spiral.

Many high-achievers are driven by a constant need to improve, which can become an addiction. This drive often masks a core feeling of insufficiency. When their primary goal is removed, they struggle to feel 'good enough' at rest and immediately seek new external goals to validate their worth.

Traits like obsessive work ethic and a need for control are professionally rewarded, leading to success. However, these very qualities, often rooted in past insecurities, become significant barriers to intimacy, delegation, and relinquishing control in personal life and business growth.

Recurring self-sabotage is a pattern, not a coincidence. It's your subconscious mind's mechanism to pull you back to the level of success you believe you deserve, acting like an invisible chain.

High-achievers can become "success addicts" because as children, they received affection primarily for accomplishments. This wires their brain to believe love is conditional, creating a pathological need for external validation and winning.