Rise. Recover. Thrive.

How I Got Strong, Got Sober, and Built a Movement of Hope

In his “memoir with a mission,” Scott Strode shares his extraordinary journey from addiction to founding The Phoenix, a national sober active community that has empowered more than half a million people to thrive in sobriety.

Scott Strode drank his first beer at 11 years old. By 15, he was using cocaine. By his early 20s, he had spiraled into the bleakest nights of his addiction—alone in a dark alley, too drunk to light a crack pipe.

Then came a series of life-changing outdoor adventures—including competing in Ironman triathlons and climbing in the Himalayas—leading to a decade of profound personal growth. By the summer of 2006, Scott had nearly ten years of sobriety and a vision for revolutionizing addiction recovery.

What inspired his dramatic self-transformation?

It began with a mindset shift. Instead of defining himself first by his addiction, he began embracing his inherent strength and potential.

He also employed practical principles like his 5:00 a.m. rule: instead of staying out partying until 5:00 a.m., he worked to surround himself with people who regularly got up at 5:00 a.m. to share in meaningful adventures, exercise, and get stronger.

These practices and principles formed the heart of The Phoenix’s empowerment approach to recovery and led Scott to lasting sobriety, marriage, fatherhood, and a long-term purpose.

More than a memoir, Rise. Recover. Thrive. is a pathway to hope for millions of people—and their loved ones—who are struggling with addiction.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this book will go to support The Phoenix.

$30.00
ISBN: 979-8-89138-138-4
SKU: 18-1235-01
Categories:New Releases, Memoirs and Biographies, Memoirs and Biographies

“A powerful testament of hope and possibility for anyone who struggles with addiction or loves someone who does.”

—Laura McKowen, bestselling author of We Are the Luckiest and Push Off from Here

“Rise. Recover. Thrive. provides an extraordinary journey through the life of Scott Strode, the founder of the groundbreaking addiction recovery community The Phoenix. The teachings in this book and the core principles of The Phoenix—treating each person with dignity and respect, understanding the potential in all of us, and inspiring hope in each other—are lessons not just for those in recovery but for all of us.”

—Michael Botticelli, former director, Office of National Drug Control Policy

“The revolving door of addiction and failed recovery is an epidemic that affects our entire society. Failed marriages, unparented children, lost jobs, and an overly incarcerated population are among the many symptoms. Scott Strode found his cure on a mountaintop, and his mission to share it has so far impacted more than half a million people in recovery . . . and counting. The inspirational personal story of recovery and redemption that Scott shares in Rise. Recover. Thrive. is an extension of his uplifting approach of attacking addiction with fitness, community, and a paradigm shift from shame in being an addict to dignity in sobriety. This book offers an innovative and proven antidote to the addiction epidemic.”

—Coach Bill Courtney, subject of the Oscar-winning film Undefeated; podcast host, An Army of Normal Folks; and author of Against the Grain

“I grew up in a household with alcoholics and have worked in a range of roles in the field of addiction and recovery for more than thirty years. Thanks to people like Scott Strode, the days when recovery was something that was hidden in church basements and rehabs are behind us. Scott’s intensely personal story of triumph and adversity—as well as that of The Phoenix—gives us a glimpse into a hopeful future and the magic of recovery as a social movement.”

—Dr. David Best, world’s first professor of addiction recovery, Leeds Trinity University

Scott Strode

Founder of The Phoenix addiction recovery movement

www.scottstrode.com

Scott Strode is the founder of The Phoenix, a national sober active community that has reached more than half a million people impacted by addiction, with the goal of reaching ten million people by 2030.

Born in Pennsylvania to an emotionally abusive father who suffered from untreated mental illness and a distant, workaholic mother, Scott turned to alcohol and cocaine early on as an escape from his tumultuous upbringing.

On April 8, 1997, Scott finally made the life-changing decision to get sober. His strength and resolve came in large part from adopting an active lifestyle that would carry him through his recovery. That lifestyle included boxing, cycling, mountain climbing, triathlons, and almost anything that got him outside.

But it was the connections he formed with others as they bonded over new experiences and shared goals that kept him sober. And this gave him a powerful idea.

Since Scott started The Phoenix in Colorado in 2006 as “just a guy with a bike,” this innovative network has expanded across America. It offers a safe, sober active community of peers who support and empower each other every day, fostering healing through all kinds of activities, including concerts, hiking, yoga, lunches, book clubs, meditation, and music jam sessions. As Scott puts it, “We believe in each other even before we believe in ourselves.”

He lives in Boston with his wife and two children.

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