The Law of Diminishing Intent

by Ron B.

So, what the heck does this mean?
Some of us find our way to Alcoholic's Anonymous and others are forced here, either by family or the law or lack of other options. For many of us AA is a newfound hope to a better way of life. For others it's an inconvenience and they would rather be doing something else.

This article is aimed at those who find our emotions quite high when we first come to AA. We begin to feel good about life and ourselves and really believe that we can recover. However, after a few weeks or months we find our energy and emotion begin to diminish. AA just doesn't seem the same as it did when we first came through the doors.

Some of the reasons for this are that we begin to forget just how bad it was while we were drinking, we begin to feel better physically, emotionally, spiritually and begin to think it may not get any better than it is now. We fondly refer to these high emotional times as a “Pink Cloud”.

Maybe life's realities have began to set it and we don't feel as good about ourselves as we once did. Things begin to happen; many we don't know how to resolve. That drink is starting to sound good now. Is this just an opportunity to escape for a little while Sooner or later we have to step down off the “Pink Cloud” and come face to face with reality. A lot of how we react is determined by what sort of foundation we have laid in sobriety. Have we worked the steps or are we waiting for the “right time”?

Take that initial step. Begin now! Don’t promise yourself, ‘Well, I’ll begin tomorrow.’ The reason is that tomorrow never comes; it always turns into today, and you didn’t promise to begin today—you promised to begin tomorrow. Successful alcoholics do it now.

Otherwise they know they could (if they are like I am) very well fall victim to what I call The Law of Diminishing Intent which states: ‘The longer you wait to do something that you know we should do now, the greater the chances are it will never actually get done.

We intend to do something when the emotion is high. But if we don't translate that intention into action fairly soon, the urgency starts to diminish. A month from now the passion is cold. A year from now it can't be found.

How can we turn this around? Simply by acting NOW! Start with the smallest action that suits you; but start. Does this mean redoing step 1,2,3, etc? Yes, if that is what is necessary to get started again. How about volunteering to make coffee for the meeting?

There are many chores that always need doing. Each of us has a God given talent. Do something until you find your niche.

Ask yourself this question, “Have I lost my passion for recovery?”

Source: http://www.rbee44.com/writings/The%20Law%20of%20Diminishing%20Intent.pdf