Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

STEP FOUR

hurdles, the course ahead began to look easier. For we had
started to get perspective on ourselves, which is another
way of saying that we were gaining in humility.

Of course the depressive and the power-driver are per-
sonality extremes, types with which A.A. and the whole
world abound. Often these personalities are just as sharply
defined as the examples given. But just as often some of us
will fit more or less into both classifications. Human beings
are never quite alike, so each of us, when making an inven-
tory, will need to determine what his individual character
defects are. Having found the shoes that fit, he ought to
step into them and walk with new confidence that he is at
last on the right track.

Now let's ponder the need for a list of the more glaring
personality defects all of us have in varying degrees. To
those having religious training, such a list would set forth
serious violations of moral principles. Some others will
think of this list as defects of character. Still others will
call it an index of maladjustments. Some will become quite
annoyed if there is talk about immorality, let alone sin.
But all who are in the least reasonable will agree upon one
point: that there is plenty wrong with us alcoholics about
which plenty will have to be done if we are to expect sobri-
ety, progress, and any real ability to cope with life.

To avoid falling into confusion over the names these de-
fects should be called, let's take a universally recognized list
of major human failings—the Seven Deadly Sins of pride,
greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. It is not by
accident that pride heads the procession. For pride, lead-
ing to self-justification, and always spurred by conscious