I Had a Huge Ego and No Self-Esteem - AA Speaker - Joe D.
Podcast:Sober Sunrise - AA Speaker Podcast Published On: Tue May 19 2026 Description: Joe got the money, the condo, the business, and the attention, then found out none of it helped when he had to sit alone with himself. ☀️ Sober Sunrise Episode Archive More AA speaker tapes and recovery stories: https://sober-sunrise.com/episodes 🧡 Sober Sunrise Merch Shirts, mugs, and recovery-inspired gear: https://sober-sunrise.com/merch 🌴 Sober Sunrise Newsletter Weekly AA speaker picks, recovery reflections, and updates: https://sober-sunrise.com/newsletter Joe grew up around alcoholism, took his first real drink behind the factories at 15, and spent years trying to outrun himself through trouble, prison, business success, money, and geographic cures. After getting sober for two years without really taking the steps, he built a fast-moving internet company in Chicago, watched his ego take over, then lost the life he thought would finally fix him. In this AA talk, Joe shares how a broken foot, a failed rehab attempt, a call to his mother, and a meeting in Woodstock brought him back to the program he had known about since he was 17, this time with a sponsor, a book, prayer, inventory, amends, and a real willingness to do the deal. Joe "Windoes" D. from Woodstock, IL speaking at the Crystal Lake Alano Club in Crystal Lake, IL - February 21st 2009 Music: Deep by KaizanBlu