Impeccable sobriety is a phrase I first ran across in Carlos Castaneda’s work. To paraphrase, it is doing nothing that detracts you from reaching your goal. In the psychology of performance this is a powerful concept. We visualize what we want to achieve, see a process/plan for getting there, identify the resources we need to get there, attain the resources, and start. Impeccable sobriety implies that we do not deviate from this course. What happens to most people is that they run low on resources (i.e., dont get enough sleep and are too tired, did not work out and have less stamina, drank and were unfocused, did drugs, overate, let their high risk tendencies get them into situations that were not on track, let their risk aversive tendencies prevent them from effective action, let their all or none thinking get them into a relapse or untenable position, and so forth).  In Castaneda’s world, having less than impeccable sobriety for a shaman or an apprentice, would most likely get the person killed. What about your world, your dreams, goals and aspirations?

Have a day filled with compassion, sympathetic joy, loving kindness, equanimity and impeccalble sobriety.

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Licensed Psychologist

Mines and Associates