In the Big Book's chapter "Into Action," right in the middle of the discussion of making amends, there's a short passage that many AA meetings read aloud. It's known as the Promises. It describes the kind of life that tends to open up for people who work the Steps thoroughly, and for many newcomers it's the first real picture of what recovery could feel like.
This guide looks at what the Promises say, what each one means in everyday terms, and when people usually start to notice them.
Where the Promises Appear
The Promises are found on pages 83 and 84 of the Big Book. They come right after the discussion of Step Nine, which is about making direct amends to people we've harmed. That placement matters. The Promises aren't described as rewards for showing up. They're described as the natural result of doing the hard work of the Steps, especially honesty and amends. Our guide to Steps 8 and 9 explains that work.
The passage opens by saying that if we're painstaking about this phase of our development, we'll be amazed before we're halfway through, and it closes by saying the Promises always come true if we work for them, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly.
What the Promises Describe
Here are the Promises in plain language, with what each one often looks like in real life.
A new freedom and a new happiness
Not the brief relief alcohol gave us, but a steadier sense of being okay. Freedom from secrets, hangovers, and the constant work of managing a drinking life.
Not regretting the past or wanting to shut the door on it
The past stops being only a source of shame. Once it's been faced and amends made, our experience becomes something that can help another alcoholic. We can talk about it without hiding.
Understanding serenity and knowing peace
Moments of real calm, even when life isn't going our way. Many people say they didn't know what peace felt like until they found it sober.
Seeing how our experience can benefit others
No matter how far down we went, our story can give someone else hope. This is part of why newcomers are so valued in AA.
Uselessness and self-pity disappearing
A sense of purpose replaces the feeling that our lives don't matter. Service and connection play a big part in this.
Losing interest in selfish things and gaining interest in others
Our attention turns outward. We start to care how other people are doing, and that makes our own problems feel more manageable.
Self-seeking slipping away
Less need to win, look good, or get our way. More ease in simply being ourselves.
Our whole attitude and outlook changing
The world looks different. Problems feel more like challenges than catastrophes.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity leaving
Less dread around others, and less panic about money. Not because every problem is solved, but because we trust we can face them.
Knowing how to handle situations that used to baffle us
A growing practical wisdom. We pause, ask for help, and know the next right step more often than we used to.
Realizing a higher power is doing for us what we couldn't do for ourselves
Looking back and seeing that we've been changed in ways our own willpower never managed, whether we credit God, the group, or the program.
When Do the Promises Come True?
This is one of the most common questions newcomers ask. The honest answer is that it varies, and the Big Book itself says sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
- Some come early. Many people feel moments of freedom and relief in their first weeks, especially after the physical symptoms of early sobriety ease.
- Many come with the Steps. People often describe a noticeable shift after their Fifth Step and as they make amends in Step Nine.
- Some take years. Losing fear of financial insecurity, or truly not regretting the past, can take a long time and keep deepening.
The Promises also tend to come and go. Someone with years of sobriety may feel great serenity one month and struggle the next. That doesn't mean the Promises have failed. It means life keeps happening, and the work continues.
What the Promises Don't Mean
- They don't promise that life will be free of problems. Sober people still face illness, loss, and hard times.
- They don't promise wealth or success.
- They don't come from attending meetings alone. They're tied to working the Steps.
- They don't arrive on a schedule. Comparing your progress to someone else's rarely helps.
Using the Promises in Your Recovery
- Read them regularly. Many people read them as part of a morning routine.
- Notice them. Keep a list of moments when you've felt one of the Promises come true, even briefly.
- Use them for hope. On hard days, they're a reminder of what many people have found on the other side.
- Keep working the Steps. If the Promises feel far away, talk with your sponsor about where you are in the work.
Many people say the Promises didn't seem real to them at first, and only later did they notice that several had quietly come true.
Other Promises in the Big Book
The passage on pages 83 and 84 is the best known, but the Big Book contains many other hopeful statements about recovery, sometimes called promises too, scattered through its chapters. Reading the book as a whole, ideally with a sponsor, is the best way to find them. Our guide to the Big Book gives an overview.
Common Questions
Why are they called the Ninth Step Promises?
Because they appear in the Big Book's discussion of Step Nine, making amends, and are closely connected to that work.
Do I have to finish the Steps before I feel them?
No. Many people feel some of the Promises early. But they tend to grow stronger and more lasting as you work the Steps.
What if I don't feel any of them?
Talk to your sponsor. Often it means there's more work to do, or that you're further along than you realize and haven't noticed yet.
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