Page 93 - The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

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Chapter 6

INTO ACTION

aving made our personal inventory, what shall
Hwe do about it? We have been trying to get a
new attitude, a new relationship with our Creator, and
to discover the obstacles in our path. We have ad­
mitted certain defects; we have ascertained in a rough
way what the trouble is; we have put our finger on the
weak items in our personal inventory. Now these are
about to be cast out. This requires action on our part,
which, when completed, will mean that we have ad­
mitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human
being, the exact nature of our defects. This brings us
to the Fifth Step in the program of recovery mentioned
in the preceding chapter.
This is perhaps difficult—especially discussing our
defects with another person. We think we have done
well enough in admitting these things to ourselves.
There is doubt about that. In actual practice, we usu­
ally find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient. Many of
us thought it necessary to go much further. We will
be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with an­
other person when we see good reasons why we should
do so. The best reason first: If we skip this vital step,
we may not overcome drinking. Time after time new­
comers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts
about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling ex­
perience, they have turned to easier methods. Almost
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