Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Matt Dobschuetz and Vern Tompke, from the Finding Traction podcast, discuss ten “tipping point” ideas for 2026.
The conversation highlights 10 actionable strategies used by Matt’s coaching clients in their Porn Free plans. See full show notes below.
Sign up for a REV Group this Summer! (link)
Set yourself for success this year. Get a strong recovery plan and a solid group of guys on your side now. Don’t wait!
Select an open group or get on our waiting list.
10 Tipping Point Ideas for 2026:
- NFC Tools: Use physical “Near Field Communication” devices to control your phone. These physical tags or devices can trigger “safe modes” that lock specific apps when you are at home, work, or traveling. Recommended tools include:
- Bloom: https://bloom.inc/
- Brick: https://getbrick.com/
- Unpluq: https://www.unpluq.com/
- Screen Zen: https://screenzen.co/ (Use this app to build your own custom shortcuts with Amazon NFC tags).
- Daily Sobriety Renewal (DSR): Establish a consistent daily five-minute check-in with an accountability partner. Use this time to commit to staying sober for the next 24 hours and to report “upstream behaviors”—small indicators like flirting or searching for actresses that occur before a full relapse.
- One-Hour Shutdown and Five-Minute Launch Sequence: Manage the day’s most vulnerable transitions by pairing a nightly protocol with an immediate morning routine. The Shutdown Sequence includes an “Amish hour” (no screens) one hour before bed. This is linked to the Launch Sequence, a set of rapid-fire morning actions—such as drinking water and brushing teeth—designed to get you out of bed immediately and avoid the “limbo state” where relapse often occurs. See Hal Elrod’s “5-Step Snooze-Proof Wake Up Strategy” below.
- Take a Class or Join a Team: Combat the isolation that fuels addiction by engaging in social, real-world activities. Consider joining a trivia team, a band, Toastmasters, or taking a class like pottery.
- Invest in Experience over Passive Entertainment: Prioritize active, intentional experiences—like attending a sporting event, camping, or taking a trip—over passively scrolling the internet or watching streaming services.
- Build a Summer Reading List: Broaden your personal growth by reading diverse topics like fiction, biography, and business rather than focusing exclusively on recovery-related research. See full list of book recommendations below.
- Vintage Tech: Use devices that are not connected to the internet to reduce dependency and risk. Examples include an old Apple iPod for music and podcasts, DVD/VCR players, or older gaming systems like a GameCube.
- Dump Streaming: Cancel services like Netflix or Amazon Prime to remove common sources of “edging” material. Replace them with an HD antenna for live TV and a local media server (like Plex or JellyFin) for a controlled movie library.
- Ditch the Phone for Non-Screen Options: Use tools that keep you productive without requiring a smartphone screen, such as an Apple Watch for notifications or an Amazon Echo Dot for alarms and timers.
- Service (Use Your Freedom for Someone Else): Dedicate your reclaimed time and energy to helping others. Shifting focus away from yourself through church volunteering, coaching, or mentoring is a key characteristic of men maintaining consistent recovery.
Summer Book List
- Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
- No More Mr. Nice Guy – Robert Glover
- Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom – David W. Blight
- James – Percival Everett
- Slow Productivity – Cal Newport
- Orphan X – Gregg Hurwitz
- The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
- Unachievable – Clare Dimond
- Notes on Being a Man – Scott Galloway
- Gates of Fire – Steven Pressfield
- Bonus: The Fourth Option – Jack Carr & M.P. Woodward
Other books mentioned in this episode…
- Deep Work – Cal Newport
- Digital Minimalism – Cal Newport
- The Miracle Morning — Hal Elrod
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You – Cal Newport
- The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
- Win the Day — Mark Batterson
5-Step Snooze-Proof Wake Up Strategy
From The Miracle Morning, these steps are designed to make it significantly easier to stay awake once your alarm goes off:
- Set Your Intentions the Night Before: Create genuine excitement for the next morning before you go to bed.
- Keep Your Alarm Clock Across the Room: Force yourself to move to turn it off; movement creates energy.
- Brush Your Teeth: Refresh your senses immediately.
- Drink a Full Glass of Water: Hydrate your body as quickly as possible.
- Dress in Your Workout Clothes: Prepare for physical activity and “earn” your morning shower.
— Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life… Before 8 AM (Celestial Arts, 2012).
Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Amazon. The book links on this page are affiliate links. Meaning if you make a purchase or sign up, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
