[Index: INTRO, Step 1, 1b, 2, 3, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 6b, 7, 8, 9, 9b, 10, 10b, 11, 12]

My 12-Step Program to Recovery and Life Revival

I am a card-carrying workaholic. Don’t get me wrong; I love to work - that’s my problem. I have discovered that my addiction to work is actually costing me achievement. I have recently had some insights into superachievement—several behaviors that separate the hardworking, ambitious-minded person from the superachiever.

Over the past year I have interviewed some of today’s greatest achievers for SUCCESS—Donald Trump, Richard Branson, Maria Shriver, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Arnold Palmer, Tony Hawk, John Wooden and Colin Powell. I discovered that I work longer and harder than all of them, but they have much bigger results! They also have more joy, freedom and personal peace than I do. I realized something is wrong here, and that I needed to figure it out.

I spent much of the holiday break thinking about what it will take to make 2009 my best year ever—not just incremental improvements, but quantum leaps in many areas of my life. I knew I would be going through my traditional goal-planning process (Design Your Best Year Ever) on New Year’s Day, but before I set specific goals, I needed to figure out the gap between these superachievers and me.

On December 31 I went for a long bike ride. Midway through the ride, it hit me. The key to making massive leaps in my achievement is not to do more or work harder. In fact, the key is the opposite of my natural tendency. I need to do less and think more. I recognized my need to always be connected, always respond, always do, keeps me “in the weeds” of life and robs me of the time, life force and creative capacity needed to focus on the big breakthrough issues.

My theme for 2009 is: Do Less, Think More.

But, my challenge is - I am an addict. My drug is the juice from constant movement, constant communication, continual achievement—the long list of to-dos and completed tasks at the end of the day. It’s a wonderful high. Addiction starts to take over your power, drive your behavior and create a compulsion for continual use. This behavior can take you off course from your major goals; tax your physical, psychological and emotional system; and even damage or destroy relationships.

I need a self-imposed intervention and a program to not only end my addiction, but a process of real, personal transformation.

I believe this could be the most important shift that ambitious achievers can make—to move from stress-filled “success” to super-achievement and obtain a balanced lifestyle filled with joy, harmony and personal fulfillment.

Over the next several posts I will reveal my 12-step program of recovery and personal transformation. I will outline the changes in disciplines, behaviors and practices to move from relative success into superachievement so you can have a more sane and personally rewarding lifestyle. I also will disclose the insights I have gained from my personal interaction with SUCCESS magazine’s superachievers, and the resources I am studying to aide my recovery and revival.

Come along with me on this journey. Don’t suffer from denial. These steps could release your creative capacity and your true potential for major breakthroughs in your life. This could be one of the most important trips you ever take. I know it will be for me.

Follow Darren behind the scenes of SUCCESS: www.twitter.com/DarrenHardy