“The first rule of every game is to know you’re in one.”
— Sandy Lerner, Co-Founder of Cisco Systems
You know the moment.
The first sip hits your system and — just like that — the buzz begins to blossom. You feel it in your chest. In your shoulders. In your smile. It’s not sloppy. It’s not loud. It’s just right.
You’re dialed in.
Sharp. Funny. Charming.
This is what you came for.
And then… drink two.
A little warmer. A little fuzzier. Still fun, still flowing.
But somewhere between that second sip and the bottom of the glass, something starts to slip.
You reach for drink three, and now you’re chasing it.
You’re not quite as sharp anymore. You can’t remember the story you were telling. The person across from you laughs… but you can’t tell if it’s with you or at you. Something shifted. And you didn’t catch when.
You don’t feel out of control.
You just don’t feel in control either.
You meant to stop at one.
Most People Drink
And most people don’t want to quit.
They don’t identify as alcoholics.
They don’t want a label.
They don’t want to sign up for a lifetime of “never again.”
They just want to get it right.
To walk into any setting — a wedding, happy hour, a first date, or a holiday dinner — and know they’ll be themselves. Not louder, not messier, not apologizing the next day. Just them, lit from within by that first-drink glow… and nothing more.
But no one teaches you how to do that.
Because No One Tells You: You’re Playing a Game
Every time you drink, you’re stepping into a game — and the rules are invisible.
Rule #1: You are trading awareness for sensation.
Every sip is a deal you make — less clarity, more comfort. Less focus, more fuzz. You may not realize you signed up for this, but you did. The moment you drink, you’re playing.
And once you’re in it, you can’t negotiate your way out.
The Problem Isn’t Alcohol
The problem is awareness.
You make your clearest, most intentional choices before the first drink.
After that? It’s a blur of diminishing returns — chemically, emotionally, spiritually.
The first drink is a spark.
The second is a smudge.
The third is a slide.
And by the time you realize it, the night’s already taken a turn. Maybe it’s a small one — an extra drink, a late-night text, a foggy morning. Or maybe it’s not small. Maybe it’s the same regret on repeat.
And yet — you’re not addicted.
You’re not powerless.
You’re just stuck.
Somewhere between wanting more control… and not wanting to give it all up.
Welcome to the Middle Way
This book isn’t about abstinence.
It’s not about addiction.
It’s not about shame, labels, or giving up the glass forever.
It’s about choice.
It’s about one bold, transformative idea:
That you can drink — mindfully, intentionally — and master it.
That you can chase the buzz… and choose to stop before it fades.
That you can reclaim the part of you that’s been quietly asking:
Why can’t I just have one?
One & Done
That’s the whole thing.
One drink.
Every time.
No exceptions.
Not two.
Not one-and-a-shot.
Not one-now-one-later.
One. And Done.
It’s radical in its simplicity.
It sounds almost too easy.
And yet, for those who learn to do it — it’s freedom.
This book is a guide, a map, a manifesto.
Not for those who’ve given up.
Not for those who never started.
But for those in the messy, beautiful, frustrating middle.
For those who want to master alcohol, not be mastered by it.
If that’s you — welcome.
Let’s play to win.