Step Six

Step 6 is often called the "forgotten Step" or the one we try to breeze past, but in my experience, it’s the quiet heart of the entire process. After the intensity of Step 5, I wanted to rush straight into "fixing" myself. I was ready to take a spiritual eraser to my character defects and be done with them. But Step 6 isn't about doing; it’s about becoming. It’s that uncomfortable, necessary pause where we become "entirely ready" to let God remove those patterns of behavior that no longer serve us.

In the rooms, we talk about how these defects—the ones we identified in our inventory—weren't just random flaws. They were our survival skills. My need to control, my quick temper, my habit of lying to "keep the peace"—these were the tools I used to navigate the chaos of alcoholism for years. Becoming entirely ready means admitting that these old tools are now actually getting in the way of my happiness. It’s like holding onto a heavy, rusted anchor while trying to swim to shore; I have to be willing to let go of the very thing I thought was keeping me safe.

The spiritual principle here is willingness. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being willing to be changed. Sometimes I’m only "willing to be made willing," and that’s okay too. I had to learn that I can’t force these defects out through sheer willpower—if I could, I would have done it years ago. My job is simply to reach a point of total surrender where I can say, "I see how this behavior hurts me and others, and I am ready to live without it."

This Step requires a massive amount of humility. It’s the realization that I am a work in progress and that the transformation is a gift, not a conquest. When I stop gripping my defects so tightly, I finally create the space for something better—like patience, honesty, and true serenity—to take their place.