Friction, Traction and Action

“If there’s no friction, then there’s no traction. If there’s no traction, then there’s no action.”

– Matt Hoffman (Taking the Escalator subscriber)

If given the choice ahead of time, most of us would likely choose to have the smooth and easy path toward our goals, hopes and dreams. Realistically speaking, however, the more worthwhile and rewarding paths in this life are rarely ever easy to travel. The above quote really puts this process into a practical perspective:

A positive way to view some of the struggles we may face on our journey toward our desired destination is to consider the reality that:

It is often those times where there is some “FRICTION” (e.g. resistance, irritation, strife, etc.)

…that we learn to proverbially dig in and gain some “TRACTION” (the state of being drawn or pulled)

...that leads to positive “ACTION” (an exertion of power or force)

Drawing Strength from 

Your Personal Experiences and Struggles:

If you are in a situation right now where you are dealing with a substance use or coexisting mental health issue, then it is extremely probable that you have been through your own personal share of life challenges, struggles, and obstacles. The good thing is that if you are here reading this right now, then on some level you have pulled through enough to keep on moving forward. Good for you.

So often substance use group therapy can get hung up on negative consequences and losses, which has its time and place for discussion so that we can learn from our mistakes. However for the rest of this particular group exercise, focus on the positive gains that you have achieved personally by first facing friction in your life, then digging in and gaining traction so you were able to bring about positive action toward your goals.

Group Activity:

Pick one of the following words below that stands out to you when you think about a time in life when you faced some adversity but you made a decision to pull through which lead you to where you are today – Then take turns sharing your personal experiences associated with your chosen word:

Strength	Achievement	Perseverance	Persistence
Survival	Endurance	Courage	“Heart”
Stamina	Determination	Dedication	Tenacity
Guts	Drive	Faith	Grit
Resilience	Toughness	Fortitude	OTHER?

(For a printable version of this group activity with additional material click here)

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