The whole point of a business alcoholics anonymous inventory is to identify a company’s liabilities and its assets. They identify their liabilities (those things that are no longer selling – or working for them) so they can remove them from the shelves to make room for more assets (those things that will sell – or work for them). We searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being convinced that self (not alcohol but self), manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations. If you are ready to gain a better perspective on how your personal choices contribute to the development of alcohol use disorder and make better choices that lead to recovery, addiction treatment can help. Step four of AA’s 12-step program can be challenging for many AA participants.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

There finally came a time when I realized that I better get going on the 12 steps. By me attending so many meetings I knew who I wanted to help me with the steps. This very good friend of mine chaired a lot of 12-step meetings (classes), which I started to attend. I went along just fine until I came upon the 4th step, and I hit a wall. As many of you know from my sharing at the Thursday night 12-step meetings, it took me a long time to get to even work on the 12 steps. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Step 4: Why Take a Moral Inventory?

They tend to create stories that allow them to live as they do until they’re ready to begin recovery. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. I made lots of progress, but one day, I just couldn’t write anymore. I knew I wasn’t finished, but I had reached a brick wall for some reason and couldn’t go on. My sponsor had asked me to do several things as a precursor to Step 4.

Challenges of Step Four in AA

• You must focus on being honest with yourself to gain the benefits of accomplishing step 4.
• Let’s examine a Step 4 resentment example and give you the tools to pursue your own.
• So before we could safely move forward we needed a framework through which we could sort out our past honestly.
• Write inventory on your most serious shortcomings around the practical application of this step in your life today (“How am I applying the principle found in this Step to every moment of my life?”).

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. Failing to be fully honest about your shortcomings is another form of self-sabotage, and it only serves to undermine your success in the 12 steps of AA. Make sure you have the support you need in your life, lean on your sponsor and be aware of yourself while working Step Four. There are a number of suggested methods, guidelines and even digital templates you can use for reference. Your sponsor may have a particular way they recommend, and your recovery community is a good source for finding a way to work Step Four that fits you.

Questions to Ask Yourself in Step 4

Too often we tend to think these are just everyday living experiences. Trust the experience of others though – these are breeding grounds for resentments. Then, a friend in the program invited me to an ACOA meeting. I went to that meeting, and after only 10 minutes, the brick wall had fallen down. I resumed writing my 4th step and completed it in just another week.

The Science of Step 4 AA: How Making a Moral Inventory Supports Recovery

• By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.
• He told me to do the best that I can at this time, and I will have plenty of time to do the rest.
• It helps you look back at your life and recognize the extent of addiction and its impact on your relationships.

First, I had to list 10 physical attributes about myself that I liked. Then, I had to list 10 personality traits about myself that I liked. I had to read these lists every morning and every night for two weeks. My mother had an alcoholic addiction and died at 49; my brother did as well and died at 48.