STEP FOUR
“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”
Upon reaching the Fourth Dimension (Steps 10, 11, and 12), we continue to grow in understanding and effectiveness. We do this by continuously taking inventory during the day. But how do we do this inventory? It's in four parts...
We look at things outside of us. Even though we might have done wrong, they wronged us more. What this inventory does is start from the outside and work inward so that hopefully we can see the part we played — the exact nature. It will be objectionable to us and we will want it removed.
4th Step Inventory — A Cheat Sheet
Column One
Who did 'it' (P.I.P.) — list them...
- People— brother, employer, co-worker, girlfriend, wife
- Institutions — IRS, police, college, church
- Principles— “Bird in the hand worth two in the bush”; “Reap what you sow”; “Early bird gets the worm”
Column Two
What's the cause — the incident that took place that caused me to RE-FEEL this again?
Column Three
The Basic Instincts of Life
Read 12/12 — 4th Step. Stop at the top of page 50 which reads “These are the first fruits of Step 4.”
Social Instinct
If there were no social instinct, if man cared nothing for the society of one another, there would be no society.
- Self Esteem — what I think of myself, how I view myself: either high (positive = self-love) or low (negative = self-hate)
- Personal Relations — my relations with other human beings and the world about me
Security Instinct
If man didn't exert themselves to be secure in their persons, made no effort to harvest food or construct shelter, there would be no survival.
- Pocketbook — anything of a material nature (money, property, buildings, jewelry, etc.)
- Emotional — a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object
Sex Instinct
If man didn't reproduce, the earth wouldn't be populated.
- Acceptable — the attitude or stance which two or more persons or groups assume toward one another; what you can talk about with your mother
- Hidden — where sex/sexual related activities are engaged in and/or pursued for reason(s) other than the purposes of reproduction and/or enjoyment. Example: engaging in sex to keep a roof over your head, or having sex to keep from getting beat up.
Note: Having had sex/sexual related activities for reasons other than your desire to have sex for the purpose of procreation or enjoyment will always affect one or both of our other ambitions (status and security).
Ambitions for the Future
Our plans for the future are directly tied to the aforementioned; a direct correlation with FEAR.
How is what's happening to me now affecting my Social, Security, and Sex relations for the future?
Column Four
- Selfish— THINKING about what I want to do (thought — our will)
- Dishonest— lying to myself, God, and another Human Being
- Self-Seeking — ACTING ON what I want to do (action — our lives)
- Frightened— not getting what I want; losing what I have
- Inconsiderate — no thought or consideration of/for myself, God, or another Human Being
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