How to Write a Fourth Step Inventory

Ask people in AA which Step they put off the longest, and many will say the Fourth. It asks us to look honestly at our lives on paper, including the parts we'd rather forget. It's natural to dread that.

But ask the same people which Step changed them the most, and many will name the Fourth again, along with the Fifth that follows it. This guide explains what the Fourth Step is, the method many sponsors use, and how to get through it without getting stuck.

What the Fourth Step Is (and Isn't)

The Big Book compares the Fourth Step to a business taking inventory: counting what's on the shelves, finding what's damaged, and deciding what needs to go. It's a fact-finding job. The goal is to understand the patterns that fueled our drinking so we can change them.

It is not:

• A confession designed to punish you
• A list of everything bad that ever happened to you
• A memoir that has to be beautifully written
• Something you're supposed to finish perfectly

"Fearless" doesn't mean you won't be afraid. It means you don't let fear stop you from looking.

Before You Start

• Work with a sponsor. Your sponsor has done this before and can guide you, keep you honest, and help when you're stuck. If you don't have one yet, see how to find a sponsor.
• Make sure Steps One through Three come first. The inventory works best when it rests on admitting the problem, being open to help, and deciding to try a new way. Our guide to Steps 2 and 3 covers that ground.
• Choose a format. A notebook works well. Some people use a spreadsheet or a printed worksheet from their sponsor. Use whatever you'll actually stick with.
• Keep it private. Store it somewhere safe. Knowing nobody else will read it except the person you choose makes honesty easier.

The Big Book Method: Four Inventories

The most widely used approach comes from the chapter "How It Works" in the Big Book. It breaks the inventory into resentments, fears, and sexual conduct, and many sponsors add a list of people harmed and a list of strengths.

1. Resentments

The Big Book calls resentment the number one offender, because it destroys more alcoholics than anything else. The resentment inventory is usually written in columns:

Write the first three columns for every resentment before you start column four. Doing it across the whole list, rather than one row at a time, makes the patterns easier to see.

2. Fears

Next, list your fears: of being alone, of failing, of being found out, of not having enough money, of other people's opinions, of the future. For each one, ask why you have it, and how relying only on yourself has worked out. Many people notice that fear sits underneath much of what they thought was anger.

3. Sexual conduct and relationships

The Big Book asks us to review our conduct in romantic and sexual relationships: where we were selfish, dishonest, or inconsiderate, whom we hurt, and what we should have done instead. The aim isn't to judge anyone's sexuality. It's to look honestly at how we treated people and to shape a healthier ideal going forward.

4. People harmed and strengths

Many sponsors suggest listing everyone you've harmed, which becomes the start of your Eighth Step list. It's also worth writing an honest list of your strengths. An inventory that only counts damaged goods isn't accurate.

Getting Through It: Practical Tips

1. Set a regular time. Thirty minutes a few days a week beats waiting for a free weekend that never comes.
2. Start with the easy ones. Getting a few names on paper builds momentum. You can work up to the harder ones.
3. Write short. Bullet points and phrases are fine. You're not writing a novel.
4. Don't wait for perfect. You will remember more later. Add it then. An honest, good-enough inventory does its job.
5. Call your sponsor when you get stuck, especially on column four. They can help you see your part without sliding into shame.
6. Take care of yourself. Writing can stir up old feelings. Go to meetings, eat, sleep, and talk to people while you work on it.
7. Set a target date for your Fifth Step. Having a date to share it with someone keeps the inventory from dragging on for months.

Common Patterns People Find

When people finish their inventories, a few patterns show up again and again:

• The same fear, of rejection or failure or not being enough, behind many different resentments
• Expectations of others that no one could meet
• A habit of controlling people and situations to feel safe
• Self-pity, and a story of being treated unfairly that kept the drinking justified
• Dishonesty that started small and became a way of life

Seeing these patterns clearly is the real gift of the Fourth Step. They become the defects of character you'll work on in Steps Six and Seven.

What Comes Next

The Fourth Step leads straight into the Fifth: admitting the exact nature of our wrongs to God, to ourselves, and to another human being. Most people share their inventory with their sponsor, usually in one long sitting, soon after finishing it. Many describe a sense of relief afterward that they didn't expect.

From there, Steps Six and Seven work on the patterns you found, and Steps Eight and Nine repair the harms. See making amends in Steps 8 and 9.

Common Questions