Imagine this: You’re about to play the biggest game of your life when someone offers to just put the final score on the board—you win! No sweat, no struggle, no game. Would you take that deal?
In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind explore why most of us would actually turn down this seemingly perfect offer. They introduce the powerful “Scoreboard Metaphor” from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that helps separate goals from values in addiction recovery.
Many people in recovery focus solely on hitting milestones—30 days sober, 90 days sober—only to feel empty when they reach them or completely defeated if they relapse. This episode flips that thinking on its head by showing that while goals (the score) matter, how you play the game (your values) matters far more.
The hosts break down why people often relapse after reaching milestones. When we chase outcomes without connecting to the values behind them, we create an emptiness that no achievement can fill. The scoreboard might say “win,” but without the journey—the struggle, the growth, the connection—it feels hollow.
Through practical examples and personal insights, Duane and Eric show how this mindset shift transforms recovery. If you’re living each day with honesty, courage, and connection, each day is a success—regardless of whether you’ve hit your sobriety goal yet. And if you do relapse, you haven’t lost everything. The values-based actions you took still matter, and the game isn’t over.
The episode concludes with five simple steps to apply this metaphor to your own recovery journey, helping you identify your true values, clarify meaningful goals, and build resilience when facing setbacks. The hosts also invite listeners to download a free worksheet and join their supportive community where these concepts can be explored further.
Whether you’ve felt lost chasing empty goals or you’ve hit recovery milestones but still feel unfulfilled, this episode offers a refreshing perspective that could change how you view your recovery journey—and maybe even your life.
Key Topics
- The Scoreboard Metaphor: Understanding the difference between goals (the score) and values (how you play the game)
- Why people often relapse after reaching milestones in recovery
- How to maintain meaning and purpose even when you don’t hit your goals
- The research showing value-based actions lead to greater psychological wellbeing
- Five practical steps to apply the scoreboard metaphor to your recovery
- The importance of community in recovery and personal growth
- Free resources to help implement these concepts in your life
Timestamps
[00:01:12] Introduction of the scoreboard metaphor through the basketball game scenario
[00:04:20] Exploration of why goals alone often leave us feeling empty
[00:07:00] Detailed explanation of the scoreboard metaphor from ACT therapy
[00:09:24] Research on how value-based actions improve recovery outcomes
[00:10:52] Five practical steps to apply the metaphor to recovery
[00:14:23] Free worksheet introduction and resources
[00:15:15] Invitation to join The Addicted Mind community
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Supporting Resources:
If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center
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