The One Thing You Have to Do
The Surprisingly Simple Approach to Staying Sober
When I was in college, I had a professor who changed my life. His influence was so profound that, 30 years later, I am proud to say he remains a close friend.
I was a graphic design major at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. On the first day of Graphic Design 101, Professor White stood in front of our wide-eyed class and asked a simple question:
“What is the one thing you have to do to be a designer?”
A flurry of answers came pouring out:
“Read about design!”
“Buy a computer!”
“Learn the history of design!”
“Buy a pencil!”
“Pass this class,” one student joked.
Professor White stood there shaking his head at each response. After several more guesses, he held up his hand and said, “Stop! Let me ask you this. What’s the one thing you have to do to be a runner?”
The class fell silent for a moment before launching into another round of guesses:
“Buy good running shoes!”
“Hire a trainer!”
Finally, someone blurted out the correct answer:
“RUN!”
Professor White smiled and said, “Yes! The one thing you have to do to be a runner is run. All the other things—buying good shoes, reading books, hiring a trainer—are helpful, but on their own, they don’t make you a runner.”
He paused, looking around the room before continuing.
“In the same way, the one thing you have to do to be a designer is design.”
It was such a simple concept, but it carried enormous weight. Sure, studying design theory or learning to use a computer is useful, but none of it matters if you’re not actively designing. That one lesson from Professor White has stayed with me throughout my career and life, shaping the way I approach challenges far beyond the design studio.
Applying the Lesson to Sobriety
Fast forward to today, and I find myself in a very different kind of classroom: early sobriety. And once again, Professor White’s wisdom has come back to help me in ways he could never have imagined.
I am only recently sober—eight days in a row and counting. For the past 20 years, I’ve struggled with alcohol, and the idea of lasting sobriety always seemed out of reach. But as I navigate these early days, I keep coming back to that simple question:
“What is the one thing I have to do to be sober?”
Just like in Professor White’s class, it’s tempting to fill my head with all sorts of answers:
“Go to meetings.”
“Call my sponsor.”
“Read This Naked Mind.”
“Write in a journal.”
And while all those things are helpful, they aren’t the real answer. The real answer is simple and straightforward:
“DON’T DRINK.”
Sobriety, at its core, is about one thing: not drinking. Everything else—meetings, books, support systems—is valuable, but if I take a drink, none of it matters. Just like you can’t be a runner without running, you can’t be sober if you drink.
Sobriety, at its core, is about one thing: not drinking.
The Power of Simplicity
In early sobriety, the noise in my head can be overwhelming. There are so many “shoulds” and “have-tos” swirling around: plans, routines, and steps to follow. And while those tools are important, they can sometimes distract from the one thing that truly matters.
Sobriety is about simplifying the overwhelming into a single, actionable step. It’s not about perfection or doing everything right—it’s about staying focused on the one thing that keeps the wheels turning: not drinking.
This doesn’t mean sobriety is easy. It’s not. There are moments when the urge to drink feels like a tidal wave, threatening to drown everything in its path. But in those moments, I remind myself of Professor White’s wisdom. I don’t have to figure everything out right now. I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to do one thing: don’t drink.
Helpful, Not Essential
This isn’t to diminish the importance of the other tools and practices that support sobriety. Meetings, therapy, books, and connection are all incredibly valuable—they build resilience, help rewire your thinking, and provide the support you need to sustain long-term sobriety.
But those things are supplemental. They’re the equivalent of buying good running shoes or learning design theory. They enhance your journey, but they don’t define it. The foundation of sobriety is simple: don’t drink.
That simplicity is freeing. It strips away the complexity and allows me to focus on the present moment. No matter what challenges the day brings, I can always come back to that one simple truth.
Carrying the Lesson Forward
What strikes me most about Professor White’s lesson is how universal it is. Whether you’re trying to be a designer, a runner, or sober, the core principle remains the same: focus on the action that defines your goal. Everything else is secondary.
As I move forward in my sobriety journey, I know there will be challenges. There will be days when the noise in my head feels overwhelming, and the weight of sobriety feels heavy. But in those moments, I’ll return to the wisdom of that first day in Graphic Design 101:
“What’s the one thing you have to do?”
I’ll take a deep breath, quiet the noise, and remind myself of the answer: don’t drink.
For anyone else on this journey, I hope this message resonates with you. The path to sobriety may feel complicated, but at its heart, it’s beautifully simple. Focus on the one thing that matters, and take it one step, one action, one day at a time.
This expanded version emphasizes the simplicity and universality of the lesson while providing additional context and reflections. Let me know if you’d like any further adjustments!
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