--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a real good thing going for me, and…" description: "\"I had a real good thing going for me, and I got sidetracked. It doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be drugs. It doesn't have to be alcohol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/ken-caminiti-80922_alcohol_i-had-a-real-good-thing-going-for-me-and_563425.jpg" --- # I had a real good thing going for me, and I got… ![“I had a real good thing going for me, and I got sidetracked. It doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be drugs. It doesn't have to be alcohol. That part of my life is over.” quote by Ken Caminiti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/ken-caminiti-80922_alcohol_i-had-a-real-good-thing-going-for-me-and_563425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/ken-caminiti-80922_alcohol_i-had-a-real-good-thing-going-for-me-and_563425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/ken-caminiti-80922_alcohol_i-had-a-real-good-thing-going-for-me-and_563425.jpg) > “I had a real good thing going for me, and I got sidetracked. It doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be drugs. It doesn't have to be alcohol. That part of my life is over.” [Ken Caminiti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-caminiti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on personal decline due to substance abuse and the possibility of recovery. **In simple terms:** Life can be saved from drugs and alcohol. Key Takeaway Choose recovery over self‑destruction. Themes addiction redemption self‑control Mood reflective hopeful Type personal motivational When to use this quote - rehabilitation programs - support groups - personal counseling - healthy routines Key Concepts substance abuse personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take to stay on track? - Who can support you in this change? A Different Perspective Recovery requires sustained effort and support, not just a decision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alcohol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Got Sidetracked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-sidetracked-4532149/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [My life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-life/) [Over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-good-559353/) [Sidetracked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidetracked/) [Sidetracked Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidetracked-doesn-4666081/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I never wanted to be a filmmaker. 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I was ready to turn my full attention to golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-finau/a-lot-of-times-college-can-get-you-sidetracked-i-was-ready-to-turn-my/) [Tony Finau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-finau/) > [Don't get sidetracked. If you do get sidetracked, get back on track as soon as possible. Ultimately sidetracking kills you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/don-t-get-sidetracked-if-you-do-get-sidetracked-get-back-on-track-as/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [As a leader you can get sidetracked but you have to complete your mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/as-a-leader-you-can-get-sidetracked-but-you-have-to-complete-your/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [For me, being active is a good thing. Otherwise, I get sidetracked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-iaquinta/for-me-being-active-is-a-good-thing-otherwise-i-get-sidetracked/) [Al Iaquinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-iaquinta/) > [It's easy to get sidetracked with technology, and that is the danger, but ultimately you have to see what works with the music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/it-s-easy-to-get-sidetracked-with-technology-and-that-is-the-danger/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [A lot of drummers get sidetracked by the instrument. It can engulf you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tre-cool/a-lot-of-drummers-get-sidetracked-by-the-instrument-it-can-engulf-you/) [Tre Cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tre-cool/) > [“Sidetracked women, who scatter their energies to the four winds, never achieve serenity. (Nervous breakdowns, to be sure, but not serenity.) It’s as simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/sidetracked-women-who-scatter-their-energies-to-the-four-winds-never/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) ## More by Ken Caminiti > [I didn't think I was going to play that day. I'd have to thank the training staff for getting me on the field that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-caminiti/i-didn-t-think-i-was-going-to-play-that-day-i-d-have-to-thank-the/) [Ken Caminiti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-caminiti/) > [It's no secret what's going on in baseball. At least half the players are using steroids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-caminiti/it-s-no-secret-what-s-going-on-in-baseball-at-least-half-the-players/) [Ken Caminiti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-caminiti/) [Explore all 3 Ken Caminiti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-caminiti/) ## More Alcohol quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [You can get a new phone or new trainers (sneakers) but you've only got one body so you have to look after it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-beckford/you-can-get-a-new-phone-or-new-trainers-sneakers-but-you-ve-only-got/) [Tyson Beckford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-beckford/) > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house unless they have a well-stocked bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/thou-shalt-not-covet-thy-neighbor-s-house-unless-they-have-a-well/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Alcohol is like Photoshop for real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/alcohol-is-like-photoshop-for-real-life/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) [David Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-norman/) > [Blunt force didn't knock out the drug epidemic. 21 million Americans are addicted to drugs or alcohol. 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I promised myself long ago that I would never miss a hunting season, never poison my sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-take-really-good-care-of-myself-i-promised-myself-long-ago-that-i/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) [Browse all 1,953 Alcohol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a real good thing going for me, and I got sidetracked. It doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't have to be drugs. It doesn't have to be alcohol. 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