I don't have to not drink for ever. Well, I do, but I don't have to conceive of it that way. This is how to look at it: all I have to do is get to bed tonight without drinking or get to the next meeting without drinking. How does that work? Well, getting some sleep or going to a meeting performs a reboot of my system. I can give this process a nudge by making sure I shut down all of the programs down first, by saying, "I hereby surrender all of my beliefs, thinking, and behaviour: please reboot me!" (here, I'm addressing the Higher Power). If in a meeting, I listen out for alternative beliefs, ways of thinking, and behaviour to adopt. If I'm honest, open-minded, and willing, the rebooting will take place, and I'll be a slightly different person for the next stretch of sobriety to the next night-time sleep or meeting.