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There is a famous professor named Scott Galloway who was asked what advice he gives to young people as they go out into the world. That advice, to boil it down to one sentence, is, “Get the easy stuff right.”

He goes on to define “getting the easy stuff right” as making sure you get the basics right as you start a life and a career. As in, show up on time. Have good manners. Wear the right clothes. Shower and shave as needed. Listen more than you talk.

On one hand, that sounds like incredibly obvious stuff to tell someone. But on the other hand, how often do most of us mess that up? I’d say it’s a considerable amount, right?

I thought of that recently because somebody who is not an addict asked me what it takes to get sober. The answer is, of course, complicated and impossible to pinpoint, in my opinion—I think the formula for every person is different.

But I would say that getting the sober basics right is a really good place to start. I’m a 12-step person, so my suggestions are going to revolve a lot around that method of recovery.

Go to a lot of meetings (90 meetings in 90 days is the most common recommendation), and go back to ones you like. Get a sponsor, plus multiple other people that you talk to at least once a week outside of meetings. Take service commitments when possible, and try to anchor down with a meeting or two, where you become a regular.

I could add 25 more suggestions but I’ll leave it at that. I think that professor’s broader point is to take care of the easy stuff so that leaves room for the tougher things later, some of which are out of our control. That’s probably the case for sobriety, too. I obviously think working the steps is an awesome part of growth, and sifting through financial insecurities and a sex inventory are very beneficial, too. But I do think getting the easy stuff right opens the door for me to get into the tougher, graduate student-level sobriety stuff. There are lots of times where I have a very good week, and it’s mostly just because I got to a bunch of meetings, spent lots of time with recovery people, and I did spiritual things every day like praying and meditating.

It reminds me of hearing a football player once address a question about the evolution of football, and how high-powered offenses and brilliant schematics have changed the game. He didn’t disagree with that general idea. But he also said, “At the end of the day, don’t forget that the team that wins is usually just the one that blocks and tackles the best. All the other stuff is nice and sometimes can make a big difference. But if we block better and tackle better, we’re probably going to win almost 100 percent of the time.”

I think about that sometimes, especially during football season. Block. Tackle. Rinse and repeat. That’s a good way to think about sobriety, too!

This newsletter is a place of joy and laughter about the deadly serious business of sobriety. So, as I will often do, let me close with a joke:

Several years ago, my wife and I took a vacation in Las Vegas. Sandy, our 65-pound boxer, came along. The motel allowed pets, and everything went smoothly until the manager asked us to take the dog out in the afternoon so the maids could clean our room.

My wife had made the plans to go shopping, and I wanted to make a meeting. But the temperature was in the mid-90s, and we couldn’t leave Sandy in the car. So I got the number for the local AA clubhouse, called, and explained the situation. “Could I bring my boxer to the meeting with me?” I asked.

The man who answered the phone was silent for several seconds. “Sure,” he finally responded, “as long as she doesn’t talk more than a few minutes when it’s her turn.”

(Credit: AA Grapevine, October 2001, Pat O. from Indiana, Florida)

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