DISCUSSION No. 3 - Mock Inventory, Step 4
The 1944 pamphlet tells us:
Step No. 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
The 4th step is simple, all we are doing in this step is: Answering some questions, writing the answers down in an inventory fashion, reading some information from the Big Book, reaching a few conclusions, saying a few prayers, reconsidering our own personal positions on resentments, fears, and our conduct over the years past, saving this inventory for future use, and doing all this with the guidance of a sponsor following the directions from the Big Book.
The 4th Step is not the 5th Step... It is not a psychological exam or a graded test... It is not an endeavor to beat yourself up by wallowing in the past... or a step that requires a lot of time... it is not a perfect -in-every way... a self destructive venture, a pity party, nor is it an autobiography, a novel of your whole life's story... The 4th step is a fact-finding , spiritual search for the truth. That's all nothing more, nothing less.
Let's break this step down to an understandable basic layout.
1) With the guidance of a sponsor, read the Big Book page 63, last paragraph up to and including page 71.
2) Make several copies of the Inventory Worksheets...
3) Answer the questions in an inventory fashion, vertically, one column at a time, following the instructions on the worksheets, in accordance with the directions from the Big Book, until completed...
4) You are Finished with the 4th step... Save it... Move on to the 5th step.