Overcoming Alcohol, Crystal Meth and Cocaine Abuse - Mark Jennison from I Am a Comeback

True Transformation Podcast

Mark Jennison is the founder and creator of I Am a Comeback.

Mark helps high performing men gain control of drinking alcohol. To date Mark has helped 12,000+ men take back control over their lives.

In this episode of the True Transformation Podcast, host Josiah Novak speaks with Mark Jennison, the founder of I Am A Comeback, a movement that helps successful men regain control of their drinking.

They discuss their personal experiences with alcohol and addiction, as well as their mutual interests in fitness and sports.

Mark shares his story of hitting rock bottom after losing his successful trucking business and spiraling into depression and addiction. He eventually found success in network marketing and created I Am A Comeback to help other successful men overcome their own struggles with alcohol and addiction. They also discuss the importance of discipline and desire in achieving success and the power of choice in controlling one's actions.

Check out IAMaComeback.com

Today's show is sponsored by Butcher Box - get free Chicken Nuggets for a year PLUS 10% off your first purchase at ButcherBox.com/TRUE when you use code "TRUE" at checkout

Introduction [00:00:00] Josiah introduces Mark and his company, I Am A Comeback, and shares his personal connection to the topic of alcohol and addiction.

Sponsorship [00:02:55] Josiah promotes the podcast's sponsor, ButcherBox, and offers a discount code for listeners.

Conversation with Mark [00:04:16] Josiah and Mark discuss their past meeting in New Orleans and their mutual interests in fitness and sports. They also touch on the topic of addiction and how it has affected their lives.

Personal Connection to Addiction [00:06:15] Mark and Josiah discuss their personal experiences with addiction and how it has impacted their families and loved ones.

Addiction and Obsession [00:07:52] Mark defines addiction and obsession and explains how everyone is addicted to something.

Supporting Someone with Addiction [00:09:27] Mark shares his experience with addiction and advises on how to support someone struggling with addiction, including loving from a distance and not enabling them.

Creating Safe Boundaries [00:11:19] Mark emphasizes the importance of telling the truth and establishing safe boundaries to protect oneself and loved ones from the negative effects of addiction.

Addiction and Mentoring [00:13:56] The speakers discuss the challenges of mentoring people struggling with addiction and the importance of telling them the truth.

Helping Oneself [00:15:10] Speaker 2 emphasizes the importance of wanting to help oneself in overcoming addiction and shares his experience of building a movement to help others.

Addiction and Success [00:19:10] The speakers discuss their addiction to success and how it developed from childhood experiences.

Mark's early struggles with substance abuse [00:19:50] Mark talks about his early struggles with drinking and drugs, and how it was connected to his anger and self-hatred.

Mark's belief about addiction [00:20:42] Mark shares his belief that addiction is not a genetic disease, but rather a gift that he was given.

Mark's mindset shift about drinking [00:21:27] Mark talks about his mindset shift towards drinking and how he helps businessmen gain control of their drinking.

Mark's childhood memories [00:22:20] Mark shares his childhood memories of selling spark plugs and the feeling of power and money.

The feeling of getting money [00:23:26] Josiah and Mark discuss the feeling of getting money and the energy transfer that takes place.

Changing the outcome of energy [00:24:06] Mark talks about how he changed the outcome of his energy from bad to good, and how people can change where they put their energy.

Josiah and Mark's personal experiences with drinking [00:24:46] Josiah and Mark discuss how their outlook on things has changed, but their core values remain the same.

Mark's early drinking experiences [00:25:25] Mark talks about his early drinking experiences, including drinking 18 beers at 14 years old and sleeping in a ditch.

Mark's Early Drinking Days [00:25:51] Mark talks about his early experiences with drinking and how it started with his uncle taking him to bars at a young age.

Developing a Drinking and Drug Problem [00:27:08] Mark discusses how his drinking and drug use escalated when he moved to Southern California and how he became hooked on crystal meth.

Significant Losses [00:30:03] Mark talks about the loss of his best friend and how it affected him, as well as losing a job opportunity due to drug use.

Family Reunion [00:31:27] Mark shares how he tried to hide his drug problem from his family and the events leading up to his flight from LAX.

Drug smuggling [00:32:13] Speaker 2 shares his experience of smuggling meth in an ax spray bottle through the airport.

Losing his uncle [00:34:13] Speaker 2 talks about losing his uncle who was like a father to him due to alcohol addiction.

Building a successful business [00:35:29] Speaker 2 talks about taking over his uncle's trucking company and turning it into a successful business while struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

Struggling with addiction [00:36:16] Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss the severity of Speaker 2's addiction to alcohol, cocaine, and sleeping pills.

Losing his business [00:37:41] Speaker 2 talks about losing his successful business due to his addiction and poor business decisions.

Rock bottom [00:38:21] Mark's lowest point, losing everything and feeling suicidal.

Temporary relief [00:39:12] Mark's short-lived attempt to feel better, selling his possessions, drinking, and doing drugs.

Tragedy [00:40:30] Mark's decision to try heroin led to the death of someone he cared about.

Building a new business [00:42:03] Mark's attempt to rebuild his life by starting a new trucking company, but still struggling with personal issues.

Trying to keep going [00:43:20] Mark's continued struggles with addiction and depression, but finding motivation to keep going for his son.

Mark's ups and downs [00:44:39] Mark shares his story of ups and downs, including his struggles with addiction and his successful career in car sales.

Relapse after rehab [00:45:26] Mark talks about his relapse after leaving rehab and how he traded his addiction for work and money.

Triggered relapse [00:46:45] Mark shares how he relapsed after trying to see his son and feeling betrayed by his ex-wife.

Rock bottom in Florida [00:48:38] Mark hits rock bottom in Florida, contemplating suicide and planning to give up his parental rights.

Turning point [00:49:15] Mark has a turning point moment while drinking a beer by the ocean and decides to turn his life around.

Success and the power of choice [00:50:45] Mark shares how he has turned his life around and now helps others through his program, emphasizing the power of choice.

Alcohol addiction recovery [00:51:28] Mark's strategy for overcoming alcohol addiction and his program, I Am A Comeback.

AA and alternative methods [00:52:37] Mark's opinion on AA and why it didn't work for him, as well as his alternative approach to addiction recovery.

Fitness and success [00:54:18] The similarities between success in business and success in fitness, and how to use the same skillset to achieve both.

Identity and desire [00:57:05] The importance of giving yourself permission to be great and embracing your desires, as well as the role of identity in achieving success.

Balancing Life and Discipline [00:58:06] The speakers discuss the balance between discipline and desire, and how discipline can be boring but necessary for success.

Chasing Goals and Society's Expectations [00:58:43] The speakers talk about their personal goals and how they don't conform to society's expectations. They also discuss the importance of having a lofty goal and not being ashamed to pursue it.

The Power of Giving Power [01:00:36] The speakers discuss how giving power to something, like a cheeseburger or a drink, can lead to negative cycles. They emphasize the importance of understanding that you have the power to make choices.

I Am A Comeback Program [01:01:00] The speakers discuss Mark's program, I Am A Comeback, which helps people struggling with various vices. They provide information on how to connect with Mark and his team.

Gratitude and Authenticity [01:02:24] The speakers express gratitude for each other and the conversation they had. They also discuss the importance of authenticity and giving value in conversations.