There seem to be two types of responses athletes give when interviewed about their plans for a game. Category 1 is hopes, and category 2 is plans. Both of these are important, but one is a far superior technique which has mental health and addiction ramifications as well.
Hopes vs. Plans
The athlete is coming from a good place. S/he’s skilled, they’re one of the best at what they do. With the microphone in their face and millions of fans watching, they say “We’re going to go out there, we’re going to do our best, and we’re going to win the game.” Every one of those things are good. The intentions are right. But you have to admit: they sound like they’re not really thinking it through.
Then there’s the second athlete. They describe what their opponents have done in previous games from personal experience and tapes viewed in research. They describe the steps they’ve taken to match those skills and methods.
Sure it’s important to have the thirst to win. One can pray for victory and really want it, but if they don’t have a tangible plan in place, they’re not truly doing their best.
What This Means to Recovery
Many people entering drug or alcohol recovery come in with good intentions. They say that they’re going to swear off their substance for eternity right from the start. That’s great, but let’s look at the trees before thinking about the forest.
Every sober day in recovery is a win. In the beginning, focus on individual days and allow yourself excitement when you don’t relapse. Then start setting yourself broader goals and congratulate yourself on weeks, months, and years passed. Focus on the individual steps you need to achieve on your way toward your goal. What steps and objectives do you need to take? Prepare for problems that will get in your way such as anniversaries, toxic individual people, and personal tragedies.
If you are in recovery, and seeing success in the steps along the way, we tip our hat to you! If you want to get started on this path, call us today at (833) 596-3502 to learn more about drug programs in Florida.