--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thought that I had about really…" description: "\"The first thought that I had about really trying to get sober was, 'Man, I could do a lot of good in the world. I can lead by example and just be this ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg" --- # The first thought that I had about really trying to get… ![“The first thought that I had about really trying to get sober was, 'Man, I could do a lot of good in the world. I can lead by example and just be this heroic recovery guy.' And that's just a bad reason to get sober. You can't get sober for anybody's benefit, let alone the world at large. You…” quote by Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg) > “The first thought that I had about really trying to get sober was, 'Man, I could do a lot of good in the world. I can lead by example and just be this heroic recovery guy.' And that's just a bad reason to get sober. You can't get sober for anybody's benefit, let alone the world at large. You really got to do it for yourself.” [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sobriety should be self‑motivated; external motives like heroism are insufficient and unsustainable. **In simple terms:** Get sober for yourself, not for others. Key Takeaway Cultivate intrinsic reasons for recovery. Themes addiction recovery personal motivation self‑care authenticity Mood determined reflective Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - rehab programs - support groups - personal goal setting - mindfulness practice Key Concepts behavioral change theory psychology of addiction Questions to Reflect On - What personal values drive your sobriety? - How can you maintain self‑driven motivation? A Different Perspective External validation can derail progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anybody/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Do it yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-in-the-world/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Heroic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-be/) [Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large/) [Lead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead/) [Lead by example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-by-example/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-sober-2725627/) [Recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery/) [Recovery Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery-guy-3338016/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Sober Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober-sober-2810909/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-sober-3186016/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [There's a reason why sober and so bored sound almost exactly the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thegr81/there-s-a-reason-why-sober-and-so-bored-sound-almost-exactly-the-same/) [Thegr81](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thegr81/) > [“When I was drunk I wanted to get sober and when I was sober I wanted to get drunk,' John L. says; 'I lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/when-i-was-drunk-i-wanted-to-get-sober-and-when-i-was-sober-i-wanted/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Above anything else - above family or job - the main thing is staying sober. That's because without being sober, I don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/above-anything-else-above-family-or-job-the-main-thing-is-staying/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [It's bloody tough, bloody painful, trying to get sober on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-ball/it-s-bloody-tough-bloody-painful-trying-to-get-sober-on-your-own/) [Zoe Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-ball/) > [Everybody in recovery smokes. If you don't like smoking, don't even bother trying to get sober. Just stay drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/everybody-in-recovery-smokes-if-you-don-t-like-smoking-don-t-even/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Perhaps we should all settle down and think about what's good in the world and what we want to do here. If we find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-goodenough/perhaps-we-should-all-settle-down-and-think-about-what-s-good-in-the/) [Ursula Goodenough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-goodenough/) > [ To the extent that the parents who send their children to these \[Catholic\] schools are parents like my own, who actually have faith in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/to-the-extent-that-the-parents-who-send-their-children-to-these/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [You can actually make a lot of money and do a lot of good in the world. I don't see those things as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-blair-henry/you-can-actually-make-a-lot-of-money-and-do-a-lot-of-good-in-the/) [Peter Blair Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-blair-henry/) > [Whatever we perceive as good in the world has always endured, and it always will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-agra-deedy/whatever-we-perceive-as-good-in-the-world-has-always-endured-and-it/) [Carmen Agra Deedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-agra-deedy/) > [America is a great country, and we've done a lot of good in the world. But we are a collection of people, not saints.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/america-is-a-great-country-and-we-ve-done-a-lot-of-good-in-the-world/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I realized that social media can be powerful force for good in the world and that acts of kindness can be scaled globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-jo-martin/i-realized-that-social-media-can-be-powerful-force-for-good-in-the/) [Amy Jo Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-jo-martin/) > [Truth does not do as much good in the world as its imitations do harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/truth-does-not-do-as-much-good-in-the-world-as-its-imitations-do-harm/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There are no innocents in Gaza, don't let any diplomats who want to look good in the world endanger your lives - mow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-ari/there-are-no-innocents-in-gaza-don-t-let-any-diplomats-who-want-to/) [Michael Ben-Ari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ben-ari/) > [It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in African unity. Divided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/it-is-clear-that-we-must-find-an-african-solution-to-our-problems-and/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [When I retire, I want to step away on a positive note. What you put out into the world comes back to you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/when-i-retire-i-want-to-step-away-on-a-positive-note-what-you-put-out/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) ## More by Steve-O > [It's commonly said that if slaughterhouses had clear glass walls, nobody would eat meat. I think people go out of their way to remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/it-s-commonly-said-that-if-slaughterhouses-had-clear-glass-walls/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I think people will be surprised to find that I'm not as much of an idiot as they think I am. I'm not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-think-people-will-be-surprised-to-find-that-i-m-not-as-much-of-an/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I don't go around lecturing people and telling them they shouldn't eat meat. I just don't think that's terribly effective. I just try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-don-t-go-around-lecturing-people-and-telling-them-they-shouldn-t/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I don't think I'm a gay icon. I have no axe to grind. I mean, I'm clearly not homophobic! I'm not pro or con.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-don-t-think-i-m-a-gay-icon-i-have-no-axe-to-grind-i-mean-i-m/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [When I was fifteen years old, my dad won a video camera in a corporate golf tournament. I snatched it from his closet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/when-i-was-fifteen-years-old-my-dad-won-a-video-camera-in-a-corporate/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I never contemplated any kind of existence or identity after my career. I never thought at some point the entertainment industry is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-never-contemplated-any-kind-of-existence-or-identity-after-my/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I'm the perfect kind of personality for making YouTube videos. I deal in short attention span theater. I do wild things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-m-the-perfect-kind-of-personality-for-making-youtube-videos-i-deal/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [When I first became involved with PETA, it was on an 'issue-by-issue' basis - they interviewed me in my old apartment about animal abuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/when-i-first-became-involved-with-peta-it-was-on-an-issue-by-issue/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [Anybody that's not supportive of me staying sober obviously has to go. But on the other hand, there are not really a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/anybody-that-s-not-supportive-of-me-staying-sober-obviously-has-to-go/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I came to San Antonio, and it's known for the River Walk. So I was just doing some sightseeing, I looked at the bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-came-to-san-antonio-and-it-s-known-for-the-river-walk-so-i-was-just/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [The psychiatric ward was a really creepy place and, hindsight being 20/20, the creepiest thing about it was that I truly belonged there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/the-psychiatric-ward-was-a-really-creepy-place-and-hindsight-being-20/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [Almost as soon as I went vegan, people started telling me that my skin looked great, and that I appeared younger, slimmer, and healthier.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/almost-as-soon-as-i-went-vegan-people-started-telling-me-that-my-skin/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I don't care if people think I'm boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-don-t-care-if-people-think-i-m-boring/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [At this point, I've really failed at a lot of things. It's nice to be able to say that, in a way. I've failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/at-this-point-i-ve-really-failed-at-a-lot-of-things-it-s-nice-to-be/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I wouldn't have really committed myself to any kind of spiritual lifestyle, I don't think, if I had not endured great suffering. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-wouldn-t-have-really-committed-myself-to-any-kind-of-spiritual/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) [Explore all 46 Steve-O quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thought that I had about really trying to get sober was, 'Man, I could do a lot of good in the world. I can lead by example and just be this heroic recovery guy.' And that's just a bad reason to get sober. You can't get sober for anybody's benefit, let alone the world at large. You really got to do it for yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve-O" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-really-trying-to-get-sober-was-man/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-really-trying-to-get-sober-was-man/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/steve-o-14524_about_the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-reall_2784942.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thought that I had about really trying to get sober was, 'Man, I could do a lot of good in the…” — Steve-O", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steve-O", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thought that I had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-really-trying-to-get-sober-was-man/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/the-first-thought-that-i-had-about-really-trying-to-get-sober-was-man/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```