Circle Clarity Map — The Simple Quit Blueprint

1

Understand the Categories

Read through these 4 categories before mapping your circle. You'll assign each person to one in Step 2.

Ally

Someone who supports your change — or would, if they knew. They don't need to understand why. They just respect it.

"A real Ally doesn't need to understand WHY you've stopped. They just need to see that you have."

Neutral

They won't push, but they won't actively support either. They'll adjust when they see the change stick. Low risk, low reward.

Pressure Source

They push you to drink — sometimes subtly, sometimes directly. Not because they're bad people, but because your change makes them uncomfortable about their own habits.

"The louder someone pushes, the more uncomfortable YOUR choice makes THEM."

Incompatible

The relationship only works with alcohol in it. Remove drinking, and there's nothing left. Apply the Saturday morning coffee test: would you meet this person for coffee at 9am on a Saturday?

"If the answer is no — the friendship isn't real. It's a drinking arrangement."

Most people are too generous with their labels the first time. If you're not sure whether someone is Neutral or Ally, they're probably Neutral. Allies make themselves obvious through action, not just words.

2

Categorise Your Circle

List the people you spend the most time with. For each, pick a category and the coffee test.

For each person, apply the Saturday morning coffee test: could you meet them sober on a Saturday morning and have a genuine 30-minute conversation? If the idea fills you with dread — that's your answer.

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Be honest, not diplomatic. This isn't about judging people — it's about seeing your circle clearly so you know where to invest your energy.

The louder someone pushes you to drink, the more uncomfortable YOUR choice makes THEM about THEIR choice. That's their problem to solve — not yours.

3

Action Plans

Based on your categorisation, here are specific actions for each group.

Look at your Pressure Sources. How much time per week do you spend with them compared to your Allies? Most people spend 3-5x more time with Pressure Sources. That ratio is working against your change.

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You don't need to cut anyone off today. You just need to see the map clearly. The actions are small, specific, and start this week.

4

Your Identity Anchors

Choose 2-3 recurring daily actions that reinforce the person you're becoming. These should connect to your Future-Self Blueprint from the previous exercise.

A 10-minute walk you do every day beats a CrossFit session you do three times and quit. Pick something you can do even on your worst day.

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Why visible anchors matter: When your partner sees you lacing up shoes at 6am, when a colleague sees you with sparkling water — those aren't just YOUR evidence. They become other people's evidence of who you are now.

✓

Circle Mapped

You now know exactly who's in your corner, who's neutral, who's a pressure source, and who's incompatible with your new direction.

Your ID:

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Next step: Move to Exercise 7 — Evening Architecture (Module 4). Now you know who supports you. Next, you'll build the evening routine that replaces the drinking ritual.