Was Michael Jordan specifically referring to how to get clean and live sober with these quotes?
I doubt it.
What I believe he was referring to was how to live life. Not just any life put one of excellence. Are you prepared to put in the work needed to get sober and stay sober. Even more important, are you ready to create a new life for yourself and enjoy it?
We hope you enjoy our spin on some famous Michael Jordan quotes and points of view.
Quote # 1
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
I believe that anyone with alcohol or drug addiction can be classified into one of three groups. Which group they fall into is entirely their choice and based on their actions.
The first group is people who ‘make it happen’. These are the people who have taken correct action with proper motivation who get clean and stay sober for the rest of their lives. They are following in the footsteps of the millions of other successful people who have gotten clean and sober and doing what they have done.
The second group is people who ‘want it to happen’ or ’wish it would happen’. These addicts like the idea of getting clean and sober or maybe they think they “should” get clean. They either lack the proper level of motivation and commitment or they refuse to do the work that other successful people have done. These people are bouncers. They balance in and out of short periods of recovery followed by relapse back to the drugs they are not taking the correct action to sustain long-term recovery.
The third group of addicts are people who will never have it happen. They flat out are not willing to change their lives. There are such unfortunates. It is unfortunate, but there are far more people who are active in drug addiction versus people who are active in recovery.
Quote # 2
I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.
Getting clean and living sober is all about putting in the work. A fellow therapist once said to me “a thought is just a thought, emotion is just an emotion, nothing really happens until you take action.” Being in recovery is not simply the absence of drugs. It is about being proactive in doing the work of developing a new way of thinking, feeling, and acting that will support sobriety rather than sticking with the old ways that support addiction. Sustaining addiction recovery, getting clean and living sober is about personal growth, progress and change; not just giving up drugs and alcohol.
Quote # 3
Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
This is my favorite Michael Jordan quote. So many people see obstacles as walls or stop signs – a logical reason to quit or give up. A person might want a new job and be rejected in five interviews. He comes to the conclusion that it will never work, gives uo and nothing changes.
Another point of view is to look at each obstacle not as a stop sign, but as a milestone a marker of progress. Not giving up at each obstacle or wall presented and finding a way around it brings you one step closer to your goal. This is where focus, determination and follow through will produce results. It seems to be a universal law of life that nothing truly worthwhile is particularly easy.
The mindset of giving up or succeeding is your choice and your results depend on it.
Quote # 4
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
i have worked with people who have tried giving up drugs and attempted living clean numerous times. They get some clean time and then relapse. A natural line of thought is to start thinking that they lack the ability to be successful. It is not a question of ability – they have it. End of story.
However, they don’t believe they have the ability and we act out of beliefs, not facts. They are basing their present capabilities and future possibilities on past failures. They give up trying. This manifests itself in a state of hopelessness and giving up on life.
One thing in the addiction treatment field we know with absolute certainty, is that if a person is alive they can get clean. The only thing that disqualifies a person from ever getting clean is if they are dead already. Sometimes the challenge is convincing themselves to break through their own self-imposed limitations.
Quote # 5
Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.
Got lemons? Make lemonade.
Life is life. Good things will happen and bad things will happen. One of the biggest lessons in the field of personal empowerment is the concept that the attitude that you adopt concerning the curve balls life will throw you will determine your actions.
In a given situation you actually have a choice of looking at it in a positive way or in a negative way. Start looking at things in a positive way.
Quote # 6
We all fly. Once you leave the ground, you fly. Some people fly longer than others.
Just about everybody that has decided that they need to quit drugging or drinking has been able to do so for a period of time.
For some people it’s just a matter of a couple hours, for others it’s a lifetime. In talking to a lot of people who have relapsed after a few months of sobriety, they almost universally state that things were much better when they were not using. They were ‘flying high’ on life once they left drugs and alcohol behind on the ground.
If or when, they crash and burn in a return to drug or alcohol use, they are thoroughly confused and have difficulty finding out why they relapsed when they were flying so well.
All addicts and fly once they stop using drugs. Some people fly longer than others.
Quote # 7
Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
A lot of lip service is given to the “work” of recovery. Many addicts look at the beginnings of sobriety as being a pain in the ass. they have to do a lot of new and uncofortable things. they have to do a lot of things they don’t ‘feel like’ doing. That’s a set up for failure. Human beings are designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
It sobriety is a pain in the ass, what’s the logical response? To avoid it. (Avoid pain)
What if we flip that equation around and regarded active addiction as being extremely painful. What would be our logical response to avoid it. What if we start looking at sobriety as being fun, challenging and fulfilling? What would be our logical response? To seek it out (seek pleasure)
For goodness sake, play, have fun, create your own game of life and enjoy it.
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Some Really Good Resources
Free Resources:
- Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction (Drugabuse.gov) – In my opinion this is the best short read on addiction. I have used the content for many therapy groups and lectures…check it out.
- Understanding Drug Use and Addiction Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. This explains it nicely.
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