Alcoholics Anonymous Step 6: Become Ready to Remove Your Flaws
What Is Step 6?
“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
What Is the Purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous Step 6?
Become fully prepared to rid yourself of the flaws you listed in Step 4.
This step reveals character and your true willingness to recover.
How Do You Complete Alcoholics Anonymous Step 6?
- Be willing to work with your higher power to remove your defects.
- Acknowledge that ridding yourself of your desire to drink and your other defects is a lifelong job.
- Stop pursuing whatever your idea of perfection is. You will never be happy if you aim for such an ideal.
What Are Some Tips for Completing Step 6?
- Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t conquer all your defects immediately or even over a longer period of time.
- You’re a work in progress. Be happy about your success so far and celebrate each little victory.
- Keep an open mind and a positive attitude throughout your journey.
What Are Some Myths About This Step?
- God has to refer to the Christian God: This is a big misconception about Alcoholics Anonymous and one that causes some people to avoid meetings. God can refer to any higher power you believe in; AA doesn’t require that you believe in any specific God. What matters is that you maintain a positive attitude and faith in your higher power.
References
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. (1981). New York: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. Available at: www.aa.org/assets/en_US/en_step6.pdf