The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

Battling the Drinking Culture of High-Pressure Industries

Nick Jonsson · June 20, 2024

Executive Coach · Author · TEDX Speaker · Leadership · Wellness · Life Coachin

Interview with Nick Jonsson

Battling the Drinking Culture of High-Pressure Industries — Nick Jonsson

Podcast: The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

June 20, 2024 · 57 min

Loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression are just some of the feelings that plague us when we’re in the throes of addiction. They are the reason a lot of people drink and get caught in the cycle of a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. Today my guest Nick Jonsson…

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Battling the Drinking Culture of High-Pressure Industries

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Key topicsWhy Success Makes Leaders Lonely-and Why That’s an Organizational RiskIsolation at the top isn’t a character flaw; it’s a leading indicator of burnout, secrecy, and bad decisions that can cascade through a company. Nick Jonsson-ranked the world’s #1 thought leader on Executive Loneliness and author of _Executive Loneliness_-turns a taboo into a leadership imperative. Drawing on lived recovery, global research, and years coaching senior executives, he reframes loneliness as a system problem that demands a system fix. His 5 Steps to Holistic Leadership™-Surrender, Connection, Purpose, Goals, Discipline-give leaders a practical, stigma-free playbook to move from silent strain to sustainable performance. Nick’s approach is disarmingly candid and deeply actionable: how to build psychologically safe peer forums, measure connection like any other KPI, and replace performative toughness with habits that boost engagement, retention, and decision quality. It’s the conversation leaders avoid-delivered by someone who’s been there, and knows how to get them out. Performance & Biohacking for Business LeadersDrawing from his experience as a top 2% Ironman athlete, Nick shares how leaders can optimize their energy, focus, and recovery through biohacking strategies. He connects physical conditioning, mental clarity, and executive performance, offering practical steps for leaders to sustain peak performance without burnout. What a Top 2% Ironman Athlete Does Differently on Low-Energy DaysNick Jonsson races Ironman in the top 2% of the field and spent more than two decades running businesses and teams across Asia before burnout and addiction stopped him. He argues that most executives treat a flat day as a discipline problem and push through it, when endurance sport treats it as data and changes the plan. He walks through what he actually does when the energy is not there: how he reads the signal, what he cuts first, how sleep, food and training get adjusted rather than abandoned, and why recovery is scheduled before it is needed. He points to his own record, from rebuilding after hospitalisation to hosting more than 300 episodes of The Limitless Podcast while training and coaching. Listeners leave with a practical way to handle their worst days instead of losing a week to them.View all topics →

About Nick Jonsson

#1 Global Thought Leader on Executive Loneliness, International Bestselling Author and TEDx Speaker

900+ EGN Southeast Asia membersTop 2% Ironman athletes worldwide2026 GHP Most Empowering Mental Health Leadership Advocate#28 worldwide Global Gurus Top 30 Coaching Professionals

Nick Jonsson is widely recognized as the world's leading authority on Executive Loneliness. His pioneering work has earned him a dedicated Executive Loneliness Wikipedia page and international recognition, establishing him as one of the world's most respected voices on leadership, vulnerability, mental wellbeing, and authentic connection.

Ranked #28 in the world among the Global Gurus Top 30 Coaching Professionals, Nick is a TEDx speaker, international bestselling author of Executive Loneliness, Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Master Coach (CMC), qualified Counsellor and Psychotherapist, facilitator, and certified Team Psychological Safety practitioner.

For more than two decades, Nick held senior international leadership roles, leading businesses and high-performing teams across Asia. From the outside, his career reflected success. Privately, however, he struggled with burnout, alcohol addiction, and overwhelming loneliness - experiences that ultimately became the turning point of his life.

Rather than allowing those challenges to define him, Nick rebuilt his life through recovery, vulnerability, discipline, and purpose. Today, every keynote, workshop, coaching engagement, and counselling conversation is grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience.

Nick works globally with executives, leadership teams, founders, and organizations through keynote speaking, executive coaching, counselling and psychotherapy, leadership facilitation, and Team Psychological Safety training.

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About this episode

Loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression are just some of the feelings that plague us when we're in the throes of addiction. They are the reason a lot of people drink and get caught in the cycle of a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol.

Today my guestNick Jonssonshares his experience of abusing alcohol, losing his marriage, and the depths of his despair before finally finding a solution that transformed his life.

Nick has taken what he has learned and wrote a book for those in the corporate world who are struggling in silence, in hopes of bringing solutions for a more peaceful, connected and fulfilling life.

It was actually so interesting for me to hear how in some parts of the world, the message of recovery is still not reaching the people who need it. There's still so much stigma attached to alcohol use disorder. I would encourage you, my loyal subscribers, to share this episode with all your friends. You just never know who might be able to help.

I do have one quick announcement - I know not everybody can afford private coaching, so if you feel like you could use some support, and you're willing to record one on one sessions with me anonymously, then shoot me an email at arlina@odaatchat.com or visit soberlifeschool.com and set up a free strategy call. The way this will work, is I will take 2 or 3 listeners through some coaching sessions, record them and then publish them anonymously as bonus episodes so that others can learn how to process through challenging situations. So if you think you would benefit from coaching, and you are willing to be of service to others, then shoot me an email and I'll look forward to speaking with you!

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Nick

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.

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Guest: Nick Jonsson