Do You Have A Driving Addiction?
Here’s How To Break It

Join Senior RSG Contributor Jay as he shares his insights on breaking an addiction to rideshare driving.

Driving is fun. It is immediately gratifying.

On that first day of Uber driving back in December 2015, I knew I loved this job. I have always enjoyed driving, and thinking I could make money doing nothing other than driving seemed like a perfect job.

Driving gives you a sense of accomplishment. It is satisfying to see your passengers happy when you drop them off.

So what is wrong with it? 

The biggest problem is that the pay is getting worse and worse. While I used to make an easy $2,000 per week, now that is impossible in the same amount of time. Many of us need to find something more lucrative to do.

So, how do you break the addiction to driving? 

How do you stop something you are good at, bringing you satisfaction and money, yet not fulfilling your needs?

Background

As a rideshare driver with over 32,000 rides, I have seen the industry change drastically. In the early days, the income was reliable, and the hours felt worth it.

However, the financial benefits have diminished as the market has become saturated with more drivers, and Uber and Lyft have shifted their priorities. These rideshare companies have shown less and less commitment to drivers, especially now that self-driving cars are in multiple test markets.

Despite this, many of us can remain stuck, clinging to the familiarity and ease of driving. It is time to reconsider our paths and break free from the cycle. Here are six suggestions to help you redirect your life.

1. Acknowledge the Reality

I speak from experience. Even now, I am tempted to go back to driving full-time, even though I know how much harder I would have to work for significantly less money.

This acknowledgment is the first step. Realize that the income is not what it used to be and that continuing to drive as a primary income source is unsustainable for most. As Tony Robbins says, “The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.”

The first step to solving a problem is to identify the problem. In plain simple English, I love driving, but it just doesn’t cut it anymore.

2. Explore New Opportunities

If you do not actively search for alternatives, you will keep driving simply because it is easy. Explore options that align with your skills and interests. This can be uncomfortable.

For many of us, driving has become all too easy and predictable. Even enjoyable. But you have to break out of your comfort zone.

Whether acquiring a new certification, starting a side hustle, or pursuing education, find something that offers better long-term prospects. Opportunities are out there; the key is to be proactive.

Simon Sinek reminds us, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.”

What do you love to do that you can monetize to a greater degree than rideshare driving?

3. Evaluate the Viability of Driving

For some people, driving remains a great way to make money in the short term.

However, for most, the tide has turned. It is too much work for too little money. Assess your situation, honestly. Consider the wear and tear on your vehicle, the rising cost of fuel, and the lack of benefits like healthcare or retirement savings.

Consider the risk you take every time you get behind the wheel. Accidents happen every day. Consider also the wear and tear on your body. Pain in my lower back and knees are discomforts I don’t want to take into my sunset year.

Is it worth it to keep going in this direction? 

I have realized that the money is not that great any longer. The bonuses have vanished. Renting a car has nearly doubled in price. The earnings per hour are down. More competition. Less demand. Waymos are starting to appear all over the country. We all know things are not getting better.

As Tim Ferriss puts it, “Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.” The time for action is now.

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4. Start Small: Reduce Your Hours

Breaking an addiction does not have to mean going cold turkey. I may have quit smoking this way, but you don’t have to be so drastic with driving. This has been my approach.

Begin by cutting back on your hours. Use the extra time to explore other income sources or invest in yourself. By gradually reducing your dependence on driving, you can ease the transition to a new chapter of your career. I shifted to weekends.

It feeds my desire to get out and meet and interact with people. However, I still have the bulk of the week for a new venture.

Scott Galloway advises, “Peak performance begins with taking complete responsibility for your life and everything that happens to you.” Taking responsibility is cutting back and using that extra time to develop something more lucrative. That’s good for you and good for your family.

5. Shift Your Mindset

Ultimately, you must recognize that driving full-time may be holding you back. It keeps you in a cycle of limited growth, constantly depleting your physical and emotional resources to stay afloat. It is time to break free from the grind and envision a future without being tied to your car.

I have a vision board that I create every year. I need to see my future without rideshare driving. My future is in Thailand, where I cannot drive even if I want to. It has forced me to embrace day trading as my full-time career.

How about you? What do you envision for your future? 

As Sam Harris wisely puts it, “Our minds are all we have. They are all we have ever had. And they are all we can offer others.”

So what can you and your mind come up with? What can you offer to others?

6. Embrace a New Identity

The final step in breaking the driving addiction is to embrace a new identity beyond rideshare driving.

Many define themselves by the profession they pursue, and letting go of that identity can feel overwhelming. I still don’t feel great about not being a full-time driver. I loved it so much. It was my thing, my identity.

However, to move forward, you must adopt a new sense of self that aligns with your future goals. Shift your mindset from being a driver to becoming an entrepreneur, a creator, or a professional in a new field.

As Henry Shukman says, “When we drop our assumptions, we begin to see the world as it truly is.” My world as a driver was too time-dependent. And risky. And painful. I see that now. I also see my future as someone without rideshare driving. I have had to move on begrudgingly.

Key Takeaways

Breaking the driving addiction is a process that begins with honesty and reflection. 

Acknowledge the diminishing returns of driving full-time and actively explore new opportunities. Evaluate the long-term sustainability of rideshare driving and consider reducing your hours to free up time for growth.

Finally, shift your mindset to focus on creating a future with more stability and potential. You can break the cycle and reclaim your career and life by taking these steps. Not all addictions are a terrible thing.

Rideshare driving was an excellent addiction for me in 2016 to 2020. However, the future does not look bright for rideshare drivers. Let’s face this fact together and create a new, exciting, emboldened future.

Be safe out there.

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