Thanks… HOF Speech

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race – Calvin Coolidge

I am pleased to be writing this Hall of Fame speech. It is a testimony to the KTC and the power that exists in the group. All of the honor all credit for my first 100 days of quit should not go to me. I am only a result of all of the hard work that goes on at KTC. All of the honor and credit must go to these people:

1. The creators and administrators of KTC. They are the people that make all of the magic happen. Without them my quit and all of the quits of the people that came before me would not have happened. Thanks to WhoDey, Franpro, Rutroh, 11×4, iuchewie, loot and Remshot.
2. The moderators and seasoned quit veterans that helped me and encouraged me along the way. Their support is invaluable.
3. The February Fucknutz. These guys are the best bunch of Fuck-ups that have ever existed. I am thankful for every one of you. I have relied upon your strength, support and consul every day from the first 100 days. The texts and phone calls have been so important. Each person in our group have added something valuable and significantly important. I’m thankful for each one of you.
4. All of the cavers. I could not have made it if I didn’t recognize early that people who did not succeed at quitting weren’t dumber, weaker, less prepared, or less intense than me. Cavers simply believe they have a reason to fail. Some reasons are more valid than others, but reasons are reasons. Some guys caved because the suffering during the first days was too intense. Some guys discovered a new trigger, and could not fight it. Some guys had a horrible event happened and turned to chew for comfort and solace. In my group there are many quitters that have a reason to cave, but they have not. There were some bad, bad events that happened during my pre-HOF days to many of the Fucknuts, but they did not cave. They simply continue to believe that there is no valid reason to cave. And this is the difference between quitters and cavers.

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. – William Faulkner

My habit started when I was in college. I started smoking and drinking at the same time. It was a delightfully lethal combination, but one that led me down a very dark path. My smoking habit turned into a chew habit during the summer of 1991 when I worked as a machinery operator for a Custom Harvester. We would spend the entire summer harvesting wheat across the central part of the United States. The work was long and dirty. Smoking in the hot, dry field in the middle of a hot, dry summer while you are surrounded by straw and chaff is not a smart thing to do. But the Nic Bitch must be satisfied, and once I started chewing, I was in it for the long run.

“I was just sitting here, eating my muffin, drinking my coffee, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity” – Jules Winnfield

In the years between the beginning of my addiction and the summer of 2009, I never really seriously considered quitting. However, during this summer a confluence of events occurred that helped me to realize that I have been living wrong. We are all a result of our choices, and my choices turned me into an addict, a drunk, morbidly obese, broke, and a mean bitter angry son of a bitch. This is not the way I want to be and I realized I needed to change. Since then I have lost 150 pounds, quit drinking, worked on healing the wounds that have been inflicted on me and that I have inflicted on others. It was truly a life-changing year for me. One thing I needed to do before the end of 2009 was to quit chewing, and one day at work I walked up to my boss, took out my can and said “I’ve been chewing every day, all day ever since you’ve met me, and I swear in front of you right now that I will never do it again.” It was that day that I found KTC.

Quitting chew for me is more difficult that quitting liquor. (I had maintained a 5 liter/ week habit of Captain Morgan + beers for a couple years.) It is more difficult than losing 150lbs. It is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. It is the most rewarding too.

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee

In the last 100 days I’ve learned that most of the beliefs that I’ve constructed about what I’m capable of or not capable of are simply not true, and have limited my growth as a human being. Our belief structure has a major impact on what we are capable of doing. If I belief that I will always be addicted to chew, I certainly will be. It is only after constructing a new system of beliefs that we are able move forward and grow. If I believe that I am capable of being free of chew, and do the required work to satisfy this belief, my belief will come to fruition.

One of these beliefs that I have constructed is that people get fat when the quit tobacco. It was a major concern for me because I have worked very hard to lose weight. But as it turns out this belief is a myth. People who satisfy their urges for tobacco with food when they quit tobacco will get fat. It is completely possible to lose weight and quit chewing. I know this because I’ve done it.
If this long held belief of mine is untrue, what beliefs do I have that are untrue?

This is an example of the doors to the world that have opened up to me after I learned a little bit of self-control that is practiced every day by posting roll. And so I challenge you do to the same. Get involved. Post daily. Get tough. Learn about how you work and how you can improve. You’ll be surprised at the progress you’ll make.

What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.– Donald Trump

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member Helios