Jefferson K. Rogers knows the meaning of rock bottom. Because he’s been there. Even though he wouldn’t wish rock bottom on anyone, he knows that sometimes feeling low is the catalyst for change.
Now a CEO, author, podcaster, and inspirational speaker, Rogers has looked back on what he has learned. The biggest takeaway? It’s never too late to make a big life change. Even if you’ve been spiraling for a long time. Big change is always possible.
Heading to the Bottom
Rogers started drinking beer at 13, then smoking weed at 14. This kind of behavior wasn’t accepted in his family, so he hid it. Like really hid it. He ended up dabbling in other drugs, letting them slowly take a hold on him, while at the same time trying to live a “normal” life.
“I was a functional substance abuser,” he says. He stole from gas stations even though he knew it was wrong. He didn’t see himself as a criminal. Inside, he knew he was a good person. But letting go of substance abuse felt impossible.
“I had responsibilities and people who looked up to me,” Rogers explains. “It took me a long time to come to terms with removing those bad behaviors.”
Surrounding himself with dance clubs, karaoke, and other hot spots where drugs and alcohol were the norm, Rogers realized his whole social life revolved around supporting his substance abuse.
“Could I live without it?” Rogers had asked himself.
On the flip side, he had plenty of good examples in his family. His mom instilled good values in him, and his uncles advocated for him. Rogers noticed the difference between that and the life of substance abuse.
Then the rock bottom day came. He remembers the date clearly because it was the day before his son’s birthday. It should have been a beautiful September day in 2017, but Rogers drank all day. Beer. Vodka. That evening he went with his wife to a concert, and that’s where things took a big turn.
Many of the details of being at the concert are fuzzy, but Rogers does recall he didn’t like the feeling of not being able to participate in what should have been a fun event due to being drunk. Anger got the better of him.
“I was a different person. I got fired up. I walked out and came face to face with this guy and his girlfriend. Out of nowhere, I head-butted him and it knocked him out. I got in my truck and drove off with security chasing me. I pulled over, then ran.”
The next morning, hung over an ashamed of his behavior, he couldn’t even participate in his son’s birthday party. His life imploded. Trust between him and his loved ones went downhill, he faced an assault charge, and his truck was impounded. All because he had let substance abuse rule his life and negatively impact his decisions.
That’s when he decided enough was enough. It was now or never.
Finding a Way Out
Even if you want to get out of substance abuse, it’s still a hard road. Rogers knew he needed
outside help.
“I wanted to turn it around,” he said.
The biggest thing? Build trust with his loved ones and become the person he knew he really was—not someone drunk and disorderly.
Two months after that day, he enrolled in a mentorship program that completely changed his life. He learned about himself and what he was capable of. He surrounded himself with others who were positive. Those little bottles he had stashed all over the house? He got rid of them.
Rogers got sober.
One of the challenges of the mentorship program was to “beat the sun” by getting up extra early. This was not easy, but Rogers did it anyway. He completed other challenges, like writing down his goals, even though it took time to become consistent. He didn’t give up.
“I think a big part of the program was sharing our experiences and having accountability,” he says.
One major change that helped on his journey out of substance abuse was moving from his hometown to a totally new place.
“I had to change my circumstances,” he explains. “I had to create my new life.”
Rogers joined other groups and was actively seeking a different life. One thing he had to learn was that no one was going to step in and change his life for him.
“The person who is going to save your life is looking at you in the mirror,” he adds. “There’s no easy button.” Quite the opposite, actually. “There’s no way to level up without being molded.”
There were plenty of times that he felt like an imposer and anxiety would set in. Rogers had to learn to work through it and not let it hurt his progress.
“The main contributor for change is controlling your thoughts,” Rogers says.
Finally, he had done a 180. Rogers had left his old life behind. The new him and his new life were waiting.
Endless Possibilities
The thing about change is, there are a million directions you can go in. So which one would Rogers choose? He knew he wanted success. He craved something he could be excited about and something that had purpose.
An opportunity with a replacement window company landed in his lap. Rogers had grown up around the construction industry, so it seemed a good fit. Some people might shy away from sales, but at this time in his life, Rogers had something to prove. He put all his energy into it and shot for the stars.
By early 2018, he had cleared over a million in sales. In the coming years that number would grow exponentially. Rogers would become CEO of JKR Windows and employ over 100 people.
The short of their success is this: innovative leadership and highly motivated sales teams. Some of the team include people with backgrounds not unlike his own. And now Rogers gets to reach his hand out to help others hoping to get back on their feet. Rogers never wants to go back to his old life. Dealing with substance abuse changes your perspective, he adds. That’s why he loves being in a position to help others do their own 180.
When he hires someone with a past, he can see their potential. That’s what keeps him going.
“You are always one decision away from a completely different life. It’s so cool to see their lives change,” Rogers says. “But not only their lives, but the lives of their wives, children, siblings—anyone in their life.”
At first, Rogers had been reluctant to tell his story. It’s not exactly an ice breaker talking about your past with substance abuse issues. But he’s found the more he tells his story, the more people come out of the woodwork and tell him about how they have suffered.
“It’s a relatable story. I have an obligation to share it.”
Plus, he’s grateful for the mentorship programs and self-help books that carried him through his journey. So Rogers decided to share his story with a bigger audience. He recently published his book, ALL IN: Get Unstuck, Accelerate, and Go Further Faster.
“I want to show people they can do it. I want them to look at what’s possible.”
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