What happens when you stare death in the face and ask yourself what truly matters? For Preston Dixon, co-owner of Renaissance Ranch and founder of Team Recovery, this powerful exercise revealed what his heart already knew—family, service, and spiritual connection form the bedrock of a meaningful life.

Preston's journey takes us through the darkest corridors of addiction, beginning with the seemingly innocent experimentation of adolescence and spiraling into the grip of opioids and heroin. With raw honesty, he shares the moment he realized substances had moved from recreational use to full-blown dependency: waking in the night, sweating, consumed by a single thought—"I need to find more."

The conversation peels back the layers of what makes recovery sustainable. As Preston reveals, it wasn't simply about stopping the substances—it was about confronting the perfectionism, self-criticism, and emotional numbness that drove him to use in the first place. His spiritual awakening two weeks into treatment, described as feeling "like a warm blanket" descending during prayer, marks the moment his recovery truly began.

What makes this episode particularly valuable is the discussion about building recovery infrastructure that works. Team Recovery's app emerged from Preston's recognition that connection serves as the antidote to addiction. The technology, designed by people in recovery for people in recovery, offers tools ranging from sobriety tracking to meeting locators, creating a digital lifeline for those navigating the challenging path of recovery.

The hosts and guest share a beautiful moment discussing how confronting mortality clarifies priorities. Through Jordan's "death meditation" exercise, they unpack how imagining your final moments reveals what you'll truly regret not accomplishing—a powerful technique for anyone seeking clarity about their life's purpose.

Whether you're in recovery, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in how technology and human connection intertwine to create healing, this conversation offers wisdom, practical tools, and the reassurance that no matter how far into addiction someone has gone, lasting recovery remains possible.

Guest: Preston Dixon is a powerful leader in the Renaissance Ranch family and has unrelenting compassion and love for those whose lives are impacted by the disease of addiction. He has first-hand experience and can empathize directly with clients, as he was once in their shoes, and he has the unique ability to help others. With many years of experience in sobriety, combined with high level management, Preston is equipped with many specific skills as a leader that make him a very loved and respected member in the Ranch family. His values and morals, honesty, integrity and brotherly kindness reflect those values as well as the treatment approach of Renaissance Ranch.

Webpage: https://renaissanceranch.net/our-utah-drug-treatment-team/preston-dixon/

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[00:00:00] Intro.

[00:07:45] Early Addiction: The Slippery Slope.

[00:19:10] The Wake-Up Call and Treatment Journey.

[00:32:34] Finding Recovery and Building Self-Esteem.

[00:50:20] Team Recovery: Building Connection Through Technology.

[01:06:37] The Power of Alumni Programs in Recovery.