Towards the end of my 35 year drinking career I was moderating. Which involved a huge amount of work, and wasn't always successful. But what actually led me to stop was taking a 6 week break after catching a virus and wanting to be sure I was better before playing my first ever gig with a band I started up, having recently taken up playing guitar. After we finished playing I ordered a beer, and felt a bit disappointed with myself as I drank it. I started googling stuff, found SR, and 3 weeks later I quit for good, over two years ago now. Best decision I ever made. My only regret is I didn't do it decades earlier. So no, you do not need to hit a rock bottom before you can improve your life.