ODAAT and Setting Goals: Balancing Recovery and Life Goals

How do we start setting goals for the future when we are supposed to live ‘One Day At A Time’ (ODAAT)? While we need to take recovery One Day At A Time, we need to plan beyond this 24-hour period of time in another area of our lives if we want to improve them substantially. In our active addiction, we only think about ourselves and right now, often ignoring the future consequences. As we get a few 24-hour periods under our belt, we want to consider what the future can look like while at the same time remaining focused on our sobriety.

 There is a notable difference between looking ahead to plan for the future and looking ahead with anxiety and worry about what tomorrow may bring. Marcus Aurelius assures us we can handle the future, saying, “Never let the future disturb you. If you have to, you will meet it with the same weapons of reason which arm you against the present today.” This article will discuss the mindset and actions needed to focus on planning and setting goals.

Importance of ODAAT in Addiction Recovery

The principle of living One Day At A Time centers on mindfulness, which means being fully present in the moment and keeping the focus on remaining sober for 24 hours. While we must focus today on our recovery, we must plan for tomorrow if we want things like finances, relationships, or careers to improve continuously.

 Eckhart Tolle notes, “The power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment: You create a good future by creating a good present.“  We are doing this by staying sober, as without sobriety, there is no solid foundation to build a future at all. However, staying sober alone does not secure a bright future. We must act to achieve the desired results in other areas, and we do that by setting goals in the form of a plan.

Future Goals: Building a Foundation for Success

Securing a brighter future looks beyond today, tomorrow, and next week, requiring us to assess the bigger picture. Setting goals for the future is an act of hope, determination, and responsibility. As people practicing active addictions, we were often irresponsible, focusing on feeding our addiction rather than taking care of our families, personal relationships, jobs, and finances.

Planning life may sound overwhelming, but it can be as simple as we want it to be. In essence, a plan is a more structured to-do list. For example, if we plan to improve our finances, we may have tasks involved with budgeting, building a savings account, finding ways to earn more money, or doing other things. We can write the list on paper, use a spreadsheet, or track it any way we choose.

 The critical piece of planning is setting measurable long-term and short-term goals. S.M.A.R.T. is a framework often used when setting goals. This approach says a goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The following example will give you an idea of how it works, but I have included a link in the resources where you can find a more detailed explanation.

 A good goal would be to save $500 in the next six months. This goal is specific, and we can measure how close we get to it each week or month. It is achievable (set an amount you can reasonably reach), relevant to my goal of improving my finances, and time-bound, as I have set a target of six months.

 A bad goal would be, “I want to have more money in six months.” This one may only meet one of the criteria as it is still relevant. The importance of having reasonable goals is that we want to see our progress and be able to celebrate when we meet our goals. We may set a saving goal every six months that supports our long-term goals. By saving $500 every six months, I can meet my five-year goal of saving $5,000 in 5 years. I can celebrate my short-term goals and measure that I am on track for long-term goals at the same time.

 An extensive plan for the future will include financial management, career development, building healthy relationships, and continuing to engage in activities that support sobriety. Many online resources, some listed below, can help us plan all areas of our lives. As noted, do not get overwhelmed with some complicated approaches out there. Anyone can create a plan, Keep It Simple, and apply it here, as a plan does not need to be complex or require a significant amount of time.

Practical Planning Tips

1) Make the goals tangible by writing them down or logging them in a tracking tool.

2) Use the S.M.A.R.T. framework when setting goals.

3) Finding balance is essential so we do not become too absorbed in living for the moment or planning for the future. Excessive focus on the present may lead to negligence of long-term consequences, while over-planning can result in missing out on the joys of the current moment.

 4) Ask for help if you have no experience with planning.

5) We must be flexible with our plans and open to life’s changes. This flexibility allows us to adapt our plans while still enjoying the present.

 6) Setting aside a certain amount of time weekly or monthly to review and adjust your goals.

Planning vs. Worrying: A Stoic Perspective

There is a significant difference between planning and worrying about the future. This is important because we do not want thinking about the future to fill us with anxiety and stress. Often, we worry unnecessarily about the future; as Seneca says, “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.“ He tells us that we spend too much time worrying about unexpected things. The Stoics concentrate on appreciating the present and maximizing each moment. They thought worrying about the past or the future wasn’t helpful and living in the now was the key to happiness.

 We waste our energy, create anxiety that clouds our judgment and may act inappropriately as a result of this fear. It’s better to focus on the power of now, not what could go wrong tomorrow.  Worrying about the future often involves excessive anxiety and a sense of dread about things that are out of one’s control. It can be paralyzing, especially for those in recovery, as it can trigger the urge to escape through substance use.

 While worrying may paralyze us, planning frees us as we look to the future and lay out a plan of action that we do have control over. Worrying focuses on powerlessness, whereas planning gives us some power for a positive outcome. If we set a goal to continually learn about our profession to improve our skills and prepare us for better positions, we can control how much time and effort we put towards this goal.

However, meeting all our goals may not be in our control as external factors are involved in some of our plans. For example, we may save $20 a week for the future, but the economy takes a downturn, and the cost of groceries and gas skyrockets, so we do not have the extra money. We can temporarily adjust our plans; we can reduce the goal to $5 a week or put the goal on hold until we can resume. Epictetus, an ancient Stoic philosopher, reminds us, “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.”

The Consequences of Failing to Plan: Lessons from History

 F Scott Fitzgerald, a renowned American novelist and a figure of the Jazz Age, struggled with alcoholism throughout his life. His early success with novels like The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise was overshadowed by his later years. Unfortunately, Fitzgerald never found sobriety as his life barely overlapped the AA movement with his death in 1940, five short years after the founding of AA. Regardless of his not finding sobriety, his story is still an applicable cautionary tale.

 He spent his later years struggling with financial difficulties, health problems, and a decline in his writing career. Despite his literary genius, his lack of foresight and failure to plan for the later stages of his life led to a tragic end, overshadowed by his addiction and financial instability. He was tragically only 46 when he died.

We can learn from many other cautionary tales, such as Mike Tyson, MC Hammer, and Nicolas Cage, to name a few notable modern-day examples.

Conclusion: Achieving Balance and Purpose in Recovery

 To sum up, living ODAAT and embracing the power of now is a valuable approach to recovery from addiction. It focuses on the present and helps us handle daily challenges without becoming overwhelmed. Marcus Aurelius assures us we can handle the future, saying, “Never let the future disturb you. If you have to, you will meet it with the same weapons of reason which arm you against the present today.“

 While we must focus on ODAAT for our recovery, we are doing our future selves a massive favor by planning for the future and following through with the plans. As we learn from Fitzgerald’s story, neglecting to prepare for the future can have dire consequences. Benjamin Franklin offered the simple advice, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” By embracing the present and preparing for the future, individuals in recovery can build a life of purpose, achievement, and lasting sobriety.

 To end on a humorous note, Alan Watts, an English writer, speaker, and self-styled “philosophical entertainer,” said of the future, “Worrying about the future is like trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are things that never crossed your worried mind.”

Resources

Present Moment Awareness – Calm Blog

6 Steps of Living in the Moment – Psychology Today

How to Set and Achieve Your Life Goals – Psychology Today

Personal Goal Setting – Mind Tools