The Line Between Discipline and Addiction

Taken from JRE #1707 w/Anna Lembke:

[AntoineVaillant]

The worst addictions are the ones that give instant gratifications. There is no intense instant reward with an athlete getting up at 5 am to train, it's the opposite, its delayed gratification, and that delayed gratification is not even a sure thing. Athletes have the choice to train, True Addicts are so addicted to the instant reward that they become powerless in front of addiction... if they try to control it alone.

[happmonkeyballs]

I'm currently trying to give up alcohol. It's a real struggle. I've been secretly drinking heavily for over a year. I went back to the gym today and didn't go to the pub. One day at a time. I'm really struggling. I drink most nights until I pass out. My wife doesn't know. I feel so weak and alcohol is so addictive and I enjoy it. But I'm using it all the time and I don't know how to stop. I feel like something is wrong with me. I adore my wife, my 3 year old daughter, I own my house and I have my own business. I've got nothing to complain about so I don't understand why I feel the need to drink bottles and bottles of wine every night until I pass out.

[pirateofsteeze]

Hell yeah; Jordan’s addiction to winning is the same as my sitting around and smoking weed all day. Discipline.

[BrianJMurray]

Took a few years and me finally admitting I needed help. I joined a 12-step program and I’ve been alcohol-free since 12/27/2014. 🙌🏼

[samsmith]

Michael Jordan on the JRE would break the internet. I think Joe not being a basketball fan would actually help the interview because he would ask questions that we haven’t heard the answers to before.

[ryateo]

I had to choose between my wife and fishing. Y'all should see the beautiful 100 lbs Gulf Coast tarpon I caught a couple weeks back.

[alexjoseph]

I was addicted to H for a year, I quit on pure willpower & never went to rehab once. Currently 4 years clean.

[meisterchlerp]

Sober for a year, grateful for all the love and support from my loved ones and 12step program. Good luck, people!

[jopo]

Joe "I have a friend that wants to know if archery, jiu jitsu, hunting, pool, Quake, podcasting, comedy writing, elk meat consumption and sauna are addictions."

[JoeySaladsShorts]

This show has helped us all experience more of the world

[goldrushingaming]

37 days sober. Im doing it for me this time.

[kenyenmusic]

I used to have an addictive personality, then I started meditating. Addiction is just trying to use the outside world in order to feel better.

[jasminecontreras]

I really resonated to the part when Joe started talking about having a natural sense of awe in nature/largeness of the world. I feel my best when I’m hiking, at the beach, or anywhere with natural beauty

[anthonylaflamme]

I’m an alcoholic and I’ve been sober for 31 months as of yesterday. I always thought the first year would be the hardest and then I’d be on easy street. But it’s still hard. Every single day I want to drink. That desire is always there and I wonder if it will ever truly go away.

[PlTTY]

Congrats to the brothers and sisters out their getting clean
I know it's hard 🙏🏼

[YormanGina]

I recently watched his interview with Tyson Fury and this applies to very well to Tyson's drastic slump after attaining his goal of defeating the fighter that had been in his sight for so long.

[michaelknight]

Addiction is a horrible thing. I suffered for almost a decade. My vice was opiates. I was a functioning addict at first but towards the end I almost lost everything, including my life. I was even homeless for 4 months. After multiple overdoses I finally got my act together. It was the hardest thing I have ever to do and I lost many people I loved along the way. I try not to dwell on it nowadays but I feel such a deep sadness knowing there are others out there suffering as I did. I wish everyone well who reads this on their journey to sobriety. Things do get better and over time you will find the happiness and joy you thought was non-existent during addiction.

[Matsonman]

Another strong mental component of addiction is that living in the moment is not where an addict wants to be. They live in the past remorse's and anger (depressive); or in fear of what the future (anxiety) will deliver together with a fantasy future of no problems (cognitive dissonance) . These are pretty good markers during intermittent sobriety of whether one is experiencing the pains of addition.

[abeybabyd]

Wow the way she explained the universality of the mental machinery behind addiction (starting at 1:40) was really beautifully said and it helped me become more conscious

[hyuseynify]

crack addict for almost a decade. a month sober now. this helped me realise a lot of things about my addiction. thank God and Joe for this.