Protecting the Engine
If you owned a Ferrari, you wouldn’t pour soda into the tank.
You wouldn’t top it off with leftover fuel from a lawnmower.
You’d protect the engine, because you know it’s built for performance.
And yet, when it comes to our bodies, our most valuable, high-performance systems, we often ignore the fuel we’re using.
We put in whatever helps us cope in the moment.
Whatever feels convenient.
Whatever takes the edge off.
And too often, that fuel is alcohol.
High-Performance Machines Need High-Quality Fuel
Our bodies are built for power, resilience, and clarity.
They’re self-correcting, self-regulating, and high-functioning when supported properly. But like any performance machine, the quality of the input determines the quality of the output.
- When we’re hydrated, we think clearly.
- When we’re nourished, we recover faster.
- When we move, rest, and sleep, we perform better.
But when we drink?
The body slows down. The system clogs. The signals go haywire.
What Alcohol Really Does Under the Hood
The moment alcohol enters the system, the engine shifts into emergency mode:
- The brain slows down, misfiring and foggy
- The liver works overtime to detox the poison
- The heart pumps harder to compensate
- The nervous system loses precision and coordination
It may feel like relaxation, but that’s not performance. That’s sedation.
You’re not resting. You’re recovering from chemical overload.
And the more often you repeat it, the more your body treats dysfunction as “normal.”
A Ferrari Doesn’t Need a Patch Job
Alcohol is often marketed as a reward, a way to unwind, celebrate, or treat ourselves.
But real performance doesn’t come from patch jobs. It comes from maintenance.
- Clarity doesn’t come from numbing.
- Recovery doesn’t come from overloading the system.
- Confidence doesn’t come from sedation. It comes from strength.
When we stop treating alcohol like a solution, we make space for something better: fuel that restores, strengthens, and supports our system.
What Happens When You Stop Pouring in Sludge
The difference shows up quickly.
- Mental clarity returns
- Energy builds
- Decisions get sharper
- Your body heals
- Your baseline performance increases
Because the truth is: your body remembers how to run clean.
When you start treating it like the high-performance machine it is, it rewards you faster than you think.
Alcohol isn’t fuel. It’s sludge.
And sludge will never power a high-performance system.
When you choose better inputs, you get better outputs.
And when you stop pouring in what breaks you down, your body doesn’t just repair. It thrives.
— Brent