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Addiction Recovery
The Addiction Recovery Podcast is the ultimate destination for individuals battling addiction or supporting loved ones in their journey towards recovery. With a focus on providing informative, educational, and persuasive content, our podcast aims to engage and guide listeners towards healing and transformation.
Addiction Recovery
58: The Two ‘Ifs’ of AA--Unlocking the Promises Through Diligent Recovery Work
What does it take to turn addiction into freedom? In this conversation, we explore the “Two Ifs” of Alcoholics Anonymous—the simple conditions behind the Ninth Step Promises that unlock recovery’s greatest rewards.
The formula is clear: if we commit fully to growth and if we keep working for it, transformation follows. Yet many struggle by neglecting the practices that first brought change or by listening to addiction’s lie that recovery isn’t necessary. The truth is stark—sobriety offers freedom and purpose, while addiction offers only destruction.
Even after decades of sobriety, recovery remains a daily choice. Meetings, sponsorship, and service become the medicine that sustains long-term healing. The promises of recovery—peace, integrity, and hope—far outweigh anything material. When we live the “Two Ifs,” we unlock a life beyond what we ever imagined.
Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
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This is treasure, and it's not about material things. It's about peace of mind. It's about integrity. It's about hope. It's about esteemable acts.
SteveCoughran:This is the Addiction Recovery Podcast with Steven T. Ginsburg, founder of Restore Detox Centers in Sunny, California. Enjoy your experience. Steven, I want to dive deeper into a topic that you've mentioned before, the two ifs of Alcoholics Anonymous. What are you referring to when you say the two ifs?
StevenGinsburg:Steve, I'm so grateful you are indulging me. I I had served something up that I wanted to touch on. You know, the ninth-step promises are a tremendous part and a payoff. You know, what's in it for us through sobriety? The promises is is what is proven and true, where the footwork is concerned. And a man who is sponsoring me in my life, which is such an imperative, important role, he brought it to my attention. You know, the two ifs in the promises are where the payoff occurs and where it's described and prescribed. So it says in the beginning of the promises, if we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we're halfway through. And then if we read through the rest of the promises and we get to the last if, it says that these promises always materialize. Then you know, how do they materialize? What do they materialize from? Here's what they materialize from. They materialize if we work for them. So those are the two ifs of the promises. To me, those are very reasonable ifs. And with us, those of us on this path, this journey, this trudge of recovery, if we do our part, those ifs come to fruition in our life.
SteveCoughran:Okay, so let's dive into this a little bit deeper. And let me make sure I understand these two ifs in my own uh words here. When you're talking about the first one, like if we are painstaking, dot dot dot dot dot. Basically, what you're saying there is if we're diligent, is that like diligent, discipline, like if we follow through, like we we try to be serious, intentional? Okay.
StevenGinsburg:Absolutely. Yeah, if that's your first if just being intentional, that rigorous honesty, willing to go the distance. You know, trudge is my favorite word in the book. It means walk with purpose. You have that trudge going. So if we are painstaking about this phase of our development, that footwork of the steps, we become amazed before we're halfway through. You know, people who are alcoholics, here's a news flash instant gratification is not soon enough for us. I won it all yesterday. I still carry that trait. That's the beauty of the promises. It starts coming to fruition so quickly.
SteveCoughran:Yeah. Okay. And I love that. So it's diligence there. That's the key. And then the second if, if I understand you right, is if we put the work in. And you always talk about that with like the solution. You always refer to that. Is that is that right?
StevenGinsburg:Yes, yes, and yes. Massive trigger for me in the best way. The footwork is what it's all about, Steve. Faith without works is what? Dead. Yeah. Um, it is about the footwork. The footwork is not it's not some boulder we're pushing up a hill. There's joy in it, there's real payoff in it. The the promises, and and and if you're out there and you haven't read the promises, I just want to ask you with the utmost respect, just jump onto Google, jump onto ChatGPT. What are the promises of Alcoholics Anonymous? The list is darn good. It's even better when we do the footwork and we start earning those promises. They start pouring in, but they cannot and will not occur without that footwork. You've got to put in the work, you've got to, and the work is comprised of having that definition of a power greater than yourself, having that individual with working knowledge of the steps in your life, which is your sponsor, going to meetings, because that's where we diffuse our built-in forgetter, working those 12 steps and being of service. That is the footwork right there. And when that footwork occurs, and when you are living in that realm of if we work for them, the promises all come true.
SteveCoughran:So, okay, well, what's the roadblock here? Like, what's the obstacle, the stumbling block for people? Because very good. Do they not believe the promises will come true? Do they believe that the promises aren't for them? Do they think the steps and the work is too hard? Like, what's the holdup here?
StevenGinsburg:We're gonna get into all the platinum stuff in the program. So, you know, half measures avail us nothing. That's just right what it says in the book. So here's where the roadblock comes up. I I have to give you two answers to this. First and foremost, one of the wonderful things that can be awful is things start coming to fruition very, very quickly. We start looking better, we start feeling better, we start sounding better, we start doing better. And the very thing that is delivering the goods, we start neglecting and negating that. It's just too often the case. It's unfortunate. It doesn't have to be that way, but it happens. That's the first facet. The second facet is the disease. The disease intervenes and intercedes and wants to impede that progress and stop people from forging ahead. And the disease starts to perpetuate these lies. This isn't going to work out, you're not like the rest of these people, it's different for you. You overreacted, this isn't for you, and boom, that progress stops. And the promises just as quickly as that faucet was turned on, it is turned off.
SteveCoughran:Yeah, and what's interesting, uh because I have the promises pulled up. I just want to read a few. Is that okay, Steven? Because I want to give the audience a little bit of context.
StevenGinsburg:Yeah, I love it. Thank you.
SteveCoughran:Okay, so here are a few. Just and this isn't a comprehensive list, but I just want to cover a few. So here's one promise: a new freedom and happiness will be known. That sounds incredible. Freedom. Get out of bondage, right? Be happy. The past will not be regretted, nor will there be a wish to shut the door on it. Um, experience will show how it could benefit others. Feelings of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. Self-seeking will slip away. Attitudes and outlooks on life will change. Fear of the people and of economic insecurity will leave. Those are just a few. I don't know about you, but those promises sound great to me.
StevenGinsburg:Right? I mean, a pretty darn good list in the solution, and they are promised, and they come true time and time again. And we are liberated from that bondage of self, but we must do our part to earn this is treasure, and it's not about material things, it's about peace of mind, it's about integrity, it's about hope, it's about esteemable acts where we are pouring in and making a difference and contributing to ourselves and to others. And like, look at that list. Look at that list, man. That is gold. Yeah, uh, what a beautiful life. Rather than what? Drinking and drugging ourselves to death. I mean, come on, folks. Well, let's get it.
SteveCoughran:I mean, what are the promises of that? What are the promises of alcohol, like alcohol and drugging? Like death and institutional. I promise you, yeah, death institution. Like you're gonna go to jail. Um, I promise you you you'll get a DUI if you drive drunk enough times.
StevenGinsburg:Yes, right, destroyed relationships, just you know, an inferno, and uh none of it's any good. And there's so much hope, but the disease is so what? Cunning, baffling, powerful, so persistent, so patient. And that's where like the work's just never gonna be done a day at a time on my end, and and with help like from people like yourself and this platform, it's like from the rooftops, I will continue prayerfully to profess the truth, which is there is a solution, there is hope. We just must all participate together, and whether it's yourself or a loved one or or a friend or a family member, like that's the solution is there for anyone and everyone, but we've got to do our part. And that's where the two ifs come in. If we're painstaking and if we do the work, they come to fruition and life becomes such a beautiful experience and a joy. And if none of that occurs, we end up at a memorial service or we're visiting someone with a phone and a plexiglass wall between us.
SteveCoughran:Yeah. And I mean, I I see it over and over again. Uh, I mean, there's people in my life that have gone to jail recently, and you can trace it all the way back to that first decision when they decided to drink and drug because they're in an ultra state when they did something stupid and now they're in jail for decades.
StevenGinsburg:Right? It's it's so heartbreaking because there's so much hope, and there are so many people who want to and who are willing to help, and there's two voices right now, right here, who want to and who are willing to help. And if people will just reach out, if people will just partake, if people will just dismiss the rhetoric in their head that stops them from getting into the solution, there is a path for everyone, for anyone that leads to the greater good.
SteveCoughran:Yeah. Well, and it's interesting because I think like when you talk about the first if, like, what's your favorite TV show right now? Like, what are you binging on, Steven?
StevenGinsburg:What am I what am I really buried in right now?
SteveCoughran:Do you and Nicole, your wife, have a show that you go you go to?
StevenGinsburg:Yes. So we're big Netflix people, and right now, this is very apropos. Netflix has a two-part documentary series on Charlie Sheen, and we are knee deep into it.
SteveCoughran:Okay. So, like, let's take that for an example. Have you ever, like, when you're really into a show, have you ever like accidentally forgot to watch the show where you're like, dang it, you know, oh, I forgot to watch the show last night, or I just didn't have time to watch the show. Our priorities, like when we're really into something, we're gonna make it happen.
unknown:Right?
SteveCoughran:But how many times do we use excuses for other things? Like, if you're binging on Netflix, you watch a show every single night. It's not like you have to set a reminder in your phone to watch the show. You just watch the show because it's important to you. And I think like sometimes our beliefs can get in the way of our behavior. And what I mean by that is I think we need to challenge our beliefs more because we think to ourselves or we trick ourselves, or that voice in our head, you know, the cunning side of the disease that you always referred to tells us, look, you had a really bad day at work, your kids aren't talking to you, you feel terrible. You know that pit in your stomach that's just like, uh, it's just disturbing. You just feel in your whole body feel weak, not motivated to do anything. Like if you just drink, drink a few beers and and that's gonna go away, you're gonna feel so much better. That's the lie. That's the belief. If I just do this, then I'm gonna feel better, but it never ends up that way. And so I think like challenging our beliefs and and really like painstakingly commit, I think that's a huge part of this. What are your thoughts on that?
StevenGinsburg:I I think you've you're really on to something there, and the analogy is perfect. We we don't need any help. I mean, Nicole and I can't wait to charge off to bed with the dogs and throw on whatever we're into when we're watching something. I I'd like to think and hope that we can allow our recovery to have that same priority and that same precedent where, you know, I I've gotten into a phase I want to, I want to kind of bring this to myself just for a moment. There was never a day where I didn't get loaded, Steve. So, what where I choose at this point, you know, a day at a time, by God's grace and mercy, I'm heading in November towards 21 years clean and sober. That's amazing. And I'm so grateful for that. Praise God. And and this it is through a God who loves me and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Make no mistake about it. Left my own devices, I will blow my world up. Where I live in this day and age, in this space where I'm heading with this anniversary, and it's been a while that I've been in this area. I choose to go to a meeting every day. Oh my gosh, I mean, you're coming up on 21 years. Okay, like I'm called and equipped for what I do with my life, which is recovery, which is the biggest blessing. Uh, I have my family, I have people like you in my life. I'm so blessed. The promises continue to come true. Why do you need a meeting a day? That's exactly why I need a meeting a day. Because again, this disease, cunning, baffling, powerful, persistent patient. Let me let him get complacent. Let me let Steven allow himself to think he's really doing something. Let me allow ego to take over and get in the way of what's been a blessing and a gift in his life. And how is he going to pay homage to that gift and blessing, or is he going to disregard it and take it for granted? Today I am going to pay homage to the blessing and gift and safeguard it. And that's where I'm I implore people a day at a time, to your point, to live in that space, to take stock, to lean in and to, you know, meeting makers make it. The slogans are all true. Uh, to be a part of what? Of the solution to heal. It's it's a diabetic who needs insulin, needs insulin on a daily basis. Steve, I need to be fed, I need to be filled up, I need to be spiritually enlightened and healed. When? On a daily basis to continue to earn. I am earning my remission and reprieve today. And if you are out there and you are like me, and I love the way God made me, I would not change being an addict and alcoholic for every billions of dollars in this world. I would not change that. I love this walk and this way of life, but I want to participate in that solution a day at a time. And I implore you, participate in your solution a day at a time.
SteveCoughran:And the promises are there. You know, we we talked about the promises today. The promises are there, they're waiting for you. If you just jump into those two ifs, amen.
StevenGinsburg:Yeah, thank you for this, brother. This is so important. There, there, there's something in it for all of us. If I made my own list of how what I wanted out of sobriety and how it was going to be, I would have wildly shortchanged myself. I'm so glad I didn't make that list. I'm so glad that something greater than myself prescribed and described and continues to build that list of what is in it for me behind this footwork.
SteveCoughran:Yeah. So what are you feeling? What are you struggling with? What type of promises would you like to see in your life? We'd love to hear from you. Hello at restored detoxcenters.com is our email. You could always shoot us an email. And if you want access to other resources or you want to connect with us, check out our website, restored detoxcenters.com. Steven, as always, a pleasure, my brother.
StevenGinsburg:Steve, thank you. Everyone out there, we love you. We are for you. Have a safe and sober day.
