Tim McGraw Just Revealed the Exact Moment He Knew He Had to Get Sober

Tim McGraw said he knew he had to get sober when he was taking shots at 8 a.m.

During an Esquire interview published on Aug. 25, McGraw, now 54, shared some of the things he's learned throughout his life, including one major eye-opening experience: becoming sober in the 2000s. "I remember a moment when I was getting out of bed and going to the liquor cabinet and taking a big shot at eight in the morning and thinking, I have to wake the kids up," said McGraw. He and Hill share three daughters, 24-year-old Gracie McGraw, 23-year-old Maggie McGraw, and 19-year-old Audrey McGraw, who would have been in elementary school back then.

McGraw has now been sober since 2008. In 2013, he told People, "I don’t drink at all. It’s not a part of my life anymore." McGraw also told Men's Health in 2014 (via E! Online) that there were a couple of factors that led to his realization. "When your wife tells you it’s gone too far, that’s a big wake-up call," he said. "That and realizing you’re gonna lose everything you have. Not monetarily, not career-wise, but family-wise."

McGraw credits Hill with saving his life.

McGraw recalled to Esquire that in that moment when he realized he needed to get sober, he sought comfort in Hill. "I went straight to my wife and said, 'This is where I’m at.' I was scared. She just grabbed me and hugged me and changed my life," he said.

The country legend also previously told People that he credits Hill with saving his life, claiming that without her, he'd be dead. "Faith saved my life in a lot of ways—from myself more than anything. I can go down a dark road sometimes when you’re not feeling good about yourself, and she pulls me out. My wife makes me a better man," he said, adding that he's happy to have survived that period of his life. "I just want to be around. I want to be around for my kids, I want to be around to see their kids, I want to be around to watch them grow up and do things," McGraw said.

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McGraw said he misused other substances besides alcohol.

McGraw admitted that he had trouble controlling himself once he started misusing various substances. He told People that he wasn't a beer drinker but more of a whiskey drinker, and when he would drink, it would never stop at just one.

"People were worried about me. It was to the point where I felt it was negatively affecting my relationships and getting in the way of things I wanted to accomplish in life," McGraw told People, which is why he ultimately quit. He explained to Men's Health that he "partied too much. And did other things too much. Chemically. No needles or that kind of stuff, but ... use your imagination."

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McGraw said focusing on his fitness helped with his recovery.

In order to channel his focus elsewhere, McGraw got seriously into fitness when he first became sober. He told Men's Health that he's the "first to admit I take it to extremes" when it comes to exercise, adding, "I'm not one of those people who can sorta half-a** something."

McGraw told People that his workouts "took the place of alcohol." And not only has the shift been beneficial for him personally, but swapping alcohol for exercise has also gave his relationship a boost. "I am probably less embarrassing to her now," McGraw told People with a laugh.

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