--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first got sober, I hadn't read…" description: "\"When I first got sober, I hadn't read anything for six or seven years. I didn't have even that much focus.\" — Mary Gauthier" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/mary-gauthier-4834_anything_when-i-first-got-sober-i-hadn-t-read-any_1310318.png" --- # When I first got sober, I hadn't read anything for six or… ![“When I first got sober, I hadn't read anything for six or seven years. I didn't have even that much focus.” quote by Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/mary-gauthier-4834_anything_when-i-first-got-sober-i-hadn-t-read-any_1310318.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/mary-gauthier-4834_anything_when-i-first-got-sober-i-hadn-t-read-any_1310318.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/mary-gauthier-4834_anything_when-i-first-got-sober-i-hadn-t-read-any_1310318.png) > “When I first got sober, I hadn't read anything for six or seven years. I didn't have even that much focus.” [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sobriety can cause a loss of focus and a gap in knowledge, requiring rebuilding habits and mental clarity. **In simple terms:** Sobriety leads to focus loss; rebuild habits. Key Takeaway Reestablish focus and learning. Themes addiction recovery growth Mood determined hopeful Type motivational personal When to use this quote - rehab programs - education - career development - personal coaching Key Concepts neuroscience habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What habits will you rebuild? - How can you support others in recovery? A Different Perspective Recovery is a gradual, non‑linear process. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Didn Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-focus-633511/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Got Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-sober-1072605/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Seven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven/) [Seven years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven-years/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Sober Hadn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober-hadn-3251749/) ## Related quotes > [When I finally got sober, I moved towards what I might have been if I hadn't been destroying myself when I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/when-i-finally-got-sober-i-moved-towards-what-i-might-have-been-if-i/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [“Not long after that I was walking along the beach, I dropped to my knees, I began crying because I realized that I'd gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/not-long-after-that-i-was-walking-along-the-beach-i-dropped-to-my/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) > [I had two experiences. I had a wonderful experience in rehab, and I had a terrible experience in rehab. But, to be honest, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-had-two-experiences-i-had-a-wonderful-experience-in-rehab-and-i-had/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [When I got sober, I really felt like there was something that was missing from my life, Buddhism is something that I practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/when-i-got-sober-i-really-felt-like-there-was-something-that-was/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [I use to pop pills all the time, but once I got sober. I saw life so diffrent. I know have all my relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-use-to-pop-pills-all-the-time-but-once-i-got-sober-i-saw-life-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's why I got sober. To be better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-fraser/that-s-why-i-got-sober-to-be-better/) [Mat Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-fraser/) > [From 18 to 29 I was a heavy smoker, heavy drinker, drug addict, terrible eater and philanderer. The past eight years, since I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/from-18-to-29-i-was-a-heavy-smoker-heavy-drinker-drug-addict-terrible/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Yoga is how I got sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-colt/yoga-is-how-i-got-sober/) [Johnny Colt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-colt/) > [Get Up is basically the book I wanted to have my first year of sobriety. I wish someone had given me this book a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bucky-sinister/get-up-is-basically-the-book-i-wanted-to-have-my-first-year-of/) [Bucky Sinister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bucky-sinister/) > [I got sober at 27 and started writing around 30 and started playing music in public around 32, 33.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-got-sober-at-27-and-started-writing-around-30-and-started-playing/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [“What I did was focus on what I had and no on what I didn't have. Through that focus, I was able to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-berg/what-i-did-was-focus-on-what-i-had-and-no-on-what-i-didn-t-have/) [Art Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-berg/) > [I didn't focus on trying to be the next Stefon Diggs. I just really wanted to be the best version of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-jefferson/i-didn-t-focus-on-trying-to-be-the-next-stefon-diggs-i-just-really/) [Justin Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-jefferson/) > [I wasn't a good kid in school. I wasn't a bad kid. I just didn't focus. My grades weren't good. I mucked around, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacre-montgomery/i-wasn-t-a-good-kid-in-school-i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-i-just-didn-t-focus/) [Dacre Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacre-montgomery/) > [I didn't focus on trying to be Doc. I just tried to be myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-didn-t-focus-on-trying-to-be-doc-i-just-tried-to-be-myself/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [It was a slow process. You gotta remember I hadn't recorded a song sober in seven years. So it took me awhile to even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/it-was-a-slow-process-you-gotta-remember-i-hadn-t-recorded-a-song/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) ## More by Mary Gauthier > [What I really like is this salted calamari - with jalapenos on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/what-i-really-like-is-this-salted-calamari-with-jalapenos-on-top/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [The world doesn't need any more pretty good songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/the-world-doesn-t-need-any-more-pretty-good-songs/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I don't have the experience of being in a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-don-t-have-the-experience-of-being-in-a-war/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I did not know that if a member of a family serves, the whole family serves. I did not know that the spouses of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-did-not-know-that-if-a-member-of-a-family-serves-the-whole-family/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I think each veteran's soul has something that it needs to say. I know from my own personal traumas, it's very hard to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-think-each-veteran-s-soul-has-something-that-it-needs-to-say-i-know/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [The job of the artist is to go to the places where most other people are embarrassed to go to. And show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/the-job-of-the-artist-is-to-go-to-the-places-where-most-other-people/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [There's an ocean of misunderstanding. It's called the civilian-military divide. I had a lot to learn about our military - who they are, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/there-s-an-ocean-of-misunderstanding-it-s-called-the-civilian/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I would make a terrible soldier, because I don't follow orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-would-make-a-terrible-soldier-because-i-don-t-follow-orders/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I've come to terms with the fact that I'll probably be in therapy all of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-ve-come-to-terms-with-the-fact-that-i-ll-probably-be-in-therapy-all/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [It can take me many months to write one of my own songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/it-can-take-me-many-months-to-write-one-of-my-own-songs/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [If you don't have a record deal, you've got to be a record company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/if-you-don-t-have-a-record-deal-you-ve-got-to-be-a-record-company/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I did not know that the wounds of war are often invisible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-did-not-know-that-the-wounds-of-war-are-often-invisible/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I'm a traveler and a vagabond and an observer, and the songs come through that. And that's just the way it's going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-m-a-traveler-and-a-vagabond-and-an-observer-and-the-songs-come/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [A song is an emotional lightning bolt - a good one, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/a-song-is-an-emotional-lightning-bolt-a-good-one-anyway/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I think it's a stereotype that soldiers don't talk, because my experience is that they will talk if they are met with empathy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-think-it-s-a-stereotype-that-soldiers-don-t-talk-because-my/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) [Explore all 106 Mary Gauthier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) [Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first got sober, I hadn't read anything for six or seven years. 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