Supposedly it was Socrates who said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Much of the 12-Step Program is about self-examination. In particular, Steps 4 thru 9 -- which can be regarded as a first attempt at doing Step 10 -- involve a considerable amount of self-examination. Someone once remarked that this is where people in AA and other 12-Step programs show a considerable amount of courage -- more so, perhaps, than typical members of religious programs. The thoroughness with which we work Steps 4 thru 9 is remarkable to people who are not in Program. As the Big Book says in its treatment of inventory, we have swallowed and digested some big chunks of truth about ourselves.

The problems with self-examination seem to come for many of us, not during Steps 4 thru 9, but afterwards. There can be a tendency to relax, to look back on those Steps as a one-time ordeal through which we have come. We've "earned our spurs," we've made the team, we're full members of Program. Now we can sit back and make encouraging noises to newcomers who are making the same difficult journey that we've just accomplished.

Which would be all very well if it were true -- but unfortunately for us, it isn't. Far from Steps 4 thru 9 being some sort of test that we get to pass through hard work, they're merely a preparation -- a preparation for performing the same process of self-examination over and over again, time after time, every day of our lives. Steps 4 thru 9 are simply an expanded version of Step 10, a guide to doing Step 10 for the first time. Now the challenge is to continue that business of self-examination during every waking moment -- perhaps the tallest order in all of Program.