Overview
High achievers often struggle with invisible burnout, driven by compulsive habits that feel productive but quietly drain clarity and energy. Unhooked by Dr. Adi Jaffe introduces two practical behavior-change frameworks—SPARO and EAT—that help high performers recognize their unconscious patterns and shift them without shame or clinical intervention. These tools are designed for entrepreneurs who are quietly coping, not collapsing.
Compulsive habits are repetitive behaviors that persist despite negative consequences, often used to avoid emotional discomfort.
Quick Breakdown
• SPARO Framework: Stimulus → Perception → Activation → Response → Outcome — helps identify how stress triggers automatic behaviors
• EAT Model: Explore → Accept → Transform — promotes non-judgmental awareness and change
• Why it matters: These tools empower high-functioning individuals to break burnout loops and restore focus—without needing therapy or diagnosis
I didn’t expect Unhooked to hit me the way it did.
Not because I’ve struggled with addiction—I haven’t. But lately, I’ve watched some of the sharpest entrepreneurs I know start to quietly unravel.
One of my friends sold premium fitness gear through his Shopify store. Closed shop last winter, citing “burnout,” but the 3pm drinks on team calls told a deeper story. Another friend, a SaaS founder scaling a remote team, started missing key investor meetings. “Bad sleep,” he claimed. But you could see the weight in his eyes.
They’re not falling apart. They’re just stuck in invisible loops—numbing stress in ways that are easy to hide but hard to stop.
That’s where Unhooked hit me hardest.
This Isn’t Another Self-Help Book
Look, I get it. Another mindset book feels like more work.
But Unhooked isn’t about forcing change. It’s about decoding what’s already running your day.
Dr. Adi Jaffe, a behavioral neuroscience expert who’s walked the hard road himself, doesn’t preach. He breaks down how high-functioning people end up caught in compulsive habits—habits that make sense once you understand what’s driving them.
It’s not about being broken. It’s about being hooked on survival patterns that outlived their usefulness.
SPARO + EAT: Tools That Make Your Behavior Click
Two standout frameworks in the book are:
SPARO – Stimulus → Perception → Activation → Response → Outcome Like when a deal falls through (Stimulus), and you instantly feel like a failure (Perception), the pressure kicks in (Activation), you pour a drink (Response), and wake up groggy with inbox dread (Outcome).
EAT – Explore → Accept → Transform This one helped me realize why I was staying up late, phone in hand, endlessly refreshing Slack. I wasn’t bored. I was avoiding silence. EAT helped me trace it, name it, and change it—without judgment.
You don’t need a therapist or rehab. You need awareness. And these models deliver.
Stats That Snap You Awake
Over 165 million Americans are struggling with compulsive habits—half your team, your co-founder, maybe even you.
50% of high achievers overeat to dodge stress, not just hunger.
And here’s the kicker: 75% of people who struggle with alcohol recover without formal rehab.
If 3 out of 4 people walk away from self-destructive patterns without white-coat treatment, maybe it’s time to stop blaming willpower and start paying attention to the why.
This Book Is for the High-Functioning, Quietly Coping
Yes, Adi’s story involves heavy stuff. But I’ve avoided that here on purpose.
Because this isn’t about drugs. It’s about you—the entrepreneur who’s building, selling, pitching, and slowly burning out.
Unhooked speaks to the rituals you’ve normalized:
That nightly glass (or three)
The inbox panic at 11pm
The Sunday dread creeping in by Saturday night
It reframes all of that without shame—and without labels.
For Entrepreneurs, Here’s the Real ROI
Clarity that helps you land your next deal
Focus sharp enough to catch burnout before it spreads
Energy to lead without faking calm
A calmer baseline so your team stops absorbing your chaos
This isn’t about feeling “better.” It’s about making your behavior work for you, not against you.
Bottom Line: You Don’t Need Another Productivity Hack
You need to understand the emotional software you’re running.
Because no sales playbook, growth strategy, or leadership course will fix what a hidden hook keeps hijacking.
Unhooked won’t make you perfect. But it might make you present. And that shift alone? Could change everything.
👉 Pick up Unhooked today and trade burnout for clarity. Your next pivot, pitch, or partnership might depend on it
