Part One

My name is Michael Lawson. I’m a British Army veteran, who served on multiple overseas deployments, where I came face to face with some of the toughest sides of life.

I’m also a professional boxing coach and the author of “Breaking the Cycle –

Three Steps to Getting Clean.” After 20 years of struggling with drug addiction, I confronted my inner demons and found a way through.

I wrote this book to share how I managed to get clean—and, just as importantly, how I’ve stayed that way.

Today, I’m a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Trainer. I run NLP courses and coach individuals to help them become the very best version of themselves. NLP truly changed my life—and, in many ways, it may even have saved it.

How can I break the cycle of negative behaviors and addictions?

For many years, I struggled with destructive, obsessive thinking and drug addiction —battles that nearly cost me my life more than once. I went through 25 years of on-and-off therapy and tried countless prescription medications, yet nothing seemed to work. Why?

One of the main reasons was that I never truly understood the root cause of my behavior, what was really driving me to self-destruct.

You can’t fix a car if you don’t know what’s wrong with it.

I had a hole in my tyre, but I kept pumping air into it instead of removing the nail.

So, what’s the solution?

I’m going to share with you the approach that saved my life and has helped many others. It’s a simple three-step process that will give you the tools and understanding to let go of destructive patterns and begin living the life you truly deserve.

Step 1: Understanding Why.

Take a pen and an A4 notepad, and most importantly, be completely honest with yourself.

If you’re not honest, you won’t achieve your goal.

I won’t pretend this is easy — it can be deeply uncomfortable, even heartbreaking. But it is absolutely necessary.

Trust me, once you face the truth and allow yourself to process those emotions, something powerful begins to happen. You’ll start to feel a sense of pride—and that’s exactly where real change begins with honesty, self-awareness, and genuine intention.

Now, ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers. Don’t overthink it, just write the first thing that comes to mind, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense at first.

Then, sleep on it. Come back the next day and add anything new that comes up. Repeat this process for a few days until nothing new arises.

Finally, take a moment to feel your answers. Quiet your mind and tune into what your body and intuition are telling you—your heart, your gut, your deeper self. Sit with it. The clarity that comes may surprise you.

Ask yourself:

– Why do I do this? (e.g. Why do I take drugs?)

– What are the positives of doing it?

– What are the negatives?

Write these in a table, so you can clearly see them side by side.

– Why do I keep going back after stopping? (For example, if you quit for a week, what led you back?)

– Is my mind playing tricks on me? Am I seeing reality as it truly is—or just my mind’s version of it?

– Am I the problem, or is it my environment (my job, location, social circle, etc.)?

Once you’ve completed your lists, go back to each answer and explore it in more depth.

When you do this properly, you will begin to understand your “why.”

And once you understand your “why,” you’ve already taken the first powerful step toward change.

Next month:  I will guide you through Step two . . .

Mike