My first A.A. meeting was around 1987 but my sobriety year is 2002. I spent the vast majority of the time in between '87 and '02 trying to stay sober on the parts of the program that weren't too difficult. For example, I refused to sponsor anyone till '02. Unsurprisingly -- at least for an alcoholic of my type -- I kept relapsing.
Today, I am convinced that an alcoholic of my type either completely submits to the A.A. program of recovery or drinks. As it says in the Big Book: "Half measures availed us nothing."