Radical Drug Free Success

I looked into his eyes and I thought to myself, "I don't believe a word he's saying. He's not
ready for change. Even though he hates his situation, every word coming out of his mouth
is bologna."

The man in front of me had been in prison. He'd stolen money. He'd used drugs until his
body ached. And this had been going on for years and years. Stealing, using, legal
discipline, incarceration - and bologna.

Even with all of that reason to change, he wasn't there yet.

When people are "there" you see a fight in their eyes that is unflinching. With every bump
and landmine they hang on to their resolution with white knuckles and a Rambo-like
tenacity. There is no option but recovery. Period.

You can't make people get to that place. Parents, teachers, parole officers - you can't
force it upon people, you can't debate them into the reasoning of it, and you can't bribe
them. They have to get to that point of change all on their own.

Sometimes it is letting people down that gets them to that point of change, sometimes it
is being sick and tired of being sick and tired, sometimes it is desperation, sometimes
pure self-preservation. But once they are there, they're there and there is no holding back
and there is visible evidence of change. That is why when an addict tells me they are
making baby steps to recovery I have to argue their sincerity and their will.

You don't make baby steps in recovery. Random, infantile steps will never get you up Mt.
Everest. Addiction is a Mt. Everest. Cancer is a Mt. Everest. Debt and fear is a Mt.
Everest. As with many things in life, you cannot take baby steps to make monumental
change in your life. Monumental change requires mature INCREMENTAL steps. Focused,
INCREMENTAL and chartable steps. Not nebulous, haphazard, naive steps.

In addiction, in business, in health and fitness, and in finances, if we want real change we
must be able to plot our course on paper, outline our objectives in a timeline and hold
ourselves accountable through sequential record keeping.

Zero alcohol in 30 days. Check.
Five AA Meetings in 7 days. Check.
45 minutes of cardio today. Check.
Saved $120 this month. Check.
Prayed and read my Bible 20 minutes. Check.

There are qualifiers to the reality that supercedes "oh, but I really, really want to change".

Trust me - as a recovered alcoholic myself I have a lot of compassion for the brokeness in
addiction that nobody sees externally. However, I also know that for real, lasting, effectual
change can and should be documented as a source of accountability. Simply wanting to
quit drugs or alcohol is not enough.

Action, unless is it is effective action, is only as good as crossing and uncrossing your
legs. Yes, it is action, but you're still sitting on your butt aren't you? Wanting to quit is a
starting point only it is not a destination.

As Yoda said to young Luke Skywalker - "there is no TRY".

The word "manifest" - comes from "manna" meaning "in hand" - is it concrete, solid,
tangible change that is being manifested in your life, your daily routines, your actions? Are
you at the point of change in an area of your life? Are you manifesting change? Are you
making INCREMENTAL focused, chartable movement towards your goal no matter the
landmines or . . . are you sheepishly downing a bologna sandwich?

Nobody can make change happen - nobody can compel you to that pivitol point of change.
The great thing is - YOU can.

Ready to heal from addiction? Looking to overcome self-destructive behavior? Contact
Tiffany Berg for a recovery presentation today!