Our Response To Steven Barlett

Is wanting to self optimise a bad thing?

Steven Bartlett is facing criticism online and while “ruined my life” might sound dramatic, some of the debate around alcohol & self optimisation misses context.

“Steven is weak for struggling with 2 drinks”

In a culture where drinking is the default, choosing not to is tough. Saying I’m not drinking is disruptive to social norms and takes strength to not cave to peer pressure. Also, hangovers are universally disliked so why is wanting to avoid one seen as being ‘weak’?

“The wellness narrative around alcohol undermines sobriety”

Any reason to not drink is valid. Talking openly about not drinking (for any reason) normalises not drinking and helps reduce stigma. It can also make not drinking feel more relatable to different people and open up wider conversations around alcohol prevention.

“Self optimisation is unhealthy”

Sometimes it is. And I don’t resonate with productivity bro culture where everything is endlessly optimised. But for people who are operating in the top 1% of their field, having structure and removing distractions can be helpful. So it’s no surprise people experiment with ways to improve productivity or wellbeing.

Like Steven, I took a 2 year break from alcohol before eventually stopping 11 years ago. For me it came down to 3 things..

~Alcohol negatively affected my mental health and brought unwanted hangxiety. Not drinking improved my mental health.

~Drinking didn’t feel compatible with lifting weights or improving my physical health. Not drinking improved my physical health and training.

~When I gained perspective from taking a break, I realised I wasn't losing anything. Not drinking gave me more time, energy, money, etc. Being alcohol-free made my life easier and gave me tangible benefits.

Back then I wasn’t trying to optimise my life. I was just trying to feel better and a lot of good came from that.

In a world that’s increasingly uncertain, I don’t think self optimisation is the main issue. Many are just trying to feel better, avoid feeling worse and find ways to live a better life.

And if something improves our mental & physical health in a sustainable way, is that hard to argue against?