AA Step 6 Worksheet

Your Guide to Completing the AA Step 6 Worksheet

Humbling ourselves before a Higher Power and asking God to remove all these defects of character requires determination, an open mind, and grace. Expressing a willingness and readiness to shed all our character faults that have led to addiction is a turning point in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Our AA Step 6 worksheet supports you while making this transition.

Changes Healing Center advises clients to attend a community support program at least once weekly after leaving the recovery center. The recovery process doesn’t just stop with the cessation of drug or alcohol use. Instead, your healing is a lifelong process that requires continuous nurturing and hard work. That’s where AA and NA can fill the gap. Attending Twelve Step meetings each week helps you continue on a personal growth trajectory.

Note that although we agree that a structured path in recovery is beneficial, we don’t always agree with the somewhat triggering language of twelve-step programs. For instance, “alcoholics,” “defects,” and some other words can carry a certain level of stigma. Given the program’s overall value, let’s remember that the program was written about 90 years ago, in the Great Depression Era.

The Sixth Step asks that God remove the character defects identified in Step 4 and the admissions made in Step 5. We’ll help you learn how to plug those completed tasks into the next working step – Step 6.

The Importance of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Step 6

Step 6 is where you fully indicate your readiness for lasting sobriety to a Higher Power. It may feel somewhat passive compared to some of the other steps you’ve completed. However, if you’re not fully ready to place a Higher Power in charge of your life, you’ll fall flat in the subsequent steps.

Before we move on, let’s review the language of Steps 4 and 5, per the AA Big Book. These are an integral part of step six:

• Step 4: “We’ve made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” You’ll revisit the self-examination of character faults you listed in Step 4. If you’ve already completed our Step 4 worksheet, you might want to prepare by keeping it handy.
• Step 5: We’ve admitted to a Higher Power, ourselves, and another person the exact nature of our wrongs. You will reflect on these conversations and be mindful of these admissions and conversations with trusted individuals in the next working step.

Step 6: “We’re Entirely Ready to Have God Remove All These Defects of Character.”

This worksheet will help you revisit and reflect on the character defects you listed in Step 4 and your discussion with another person in Step 5. You are becoming entirely ready to have God guide your progress as you start connecting how letting go of past negative behaviors and character flaws can pave a new way forward.

Don’t worry about perfection or your shortcomings as you write. All you need to complete this worksheet is an open mind and honesty in your self-reflection.

Remember, the goal of Step 6 is to tie together all the hard work you’ve put in during the previous steps and gain self-awareness of your readiness for taking future steps in the 12-step program.

Worksheet Page 1: Examining your relationship with character flaws

On the first page, you’ll focus on one character defect. Because you will challenge and overcome one defect at a time, you might want to print off several copies – check your step 4 list for an accurate count. You’ll follow the same process to confront each of your listed character deficits.

Worksheet Page 2: Understanding how to release character defects

As you work on the second page, you become responsible for looking forward to a life without dealing with the weight of character defects. You’re preparing for the Seventh Step of AA – a difficult step – asking that God remove all these defects.

Completed Worksheet Examples

Imagine ‘RJ,’ whose shortcomings led to a drinking problem and erratic behaviors. He also told about how he yelled at his kids to address their behavior problems, the same way his parents had been quick to anger with him. He is now aware that a sense of fear was, indeed, inappropriate parenting.

RJ’s desire to quit had been there in the past. But without support, he couldn’t achieve long-term sobriety. RJ has completed outpatient treatment and stopped drinking. Now, he’s doing all the work involved in Alcoholics Anonymous. He has identified his character defects and discussed his anger and poor choices with his sponsor. It’s time for Step 6, a crucial step in the 12-step journey.

Here are RJ’s completed worksheets; his answers are in red:

RJ’s worksheets show a willingness to do the hard work of a 12-step program to have a better life. He is becoming entirely ready to develop a better relationship with his family. More importantly, he’s seeking guidance from a Higher Power as he moves forward in sobriety.

The Known Benefits of a 12-Step Program for Addiction Recovery

The Twelve Steps can be difficult. Stay encouraged! You’re reaping several helpful benefits by rolling up your sleeves and completing each working step.

Structured Addiction Support

AA provides people with a clear pathway to a better life in recovery. The program helps participants see the character defects that likely contributed to substance abuse. Understanding the root cause helps participants address and remove them.

Peer Support and Community Building

AA places great emphasis on building a sober support community. AA meeting environments are nonjudgmental and supportive, contributing to participants’ willingness to make life changes. The setting allows a focus on connecting with others who understand the struggles of recovery.

The group’s anonymity and privacy policies reinforce sharing one’s shortcomings without fear. The feeling of safety is key when changing behaviors associated with addiction.

Accountability and Encouragement

AA members work with sponsors – more advanced members who can hold them accountable and encourage them. Sponsors understand that all in AA have defects of character and don’t judge others for their flaws.

Reviewing the AA Steps

Here’s a quick refresher to reinforce your knowledge of all the steps:

• Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
• Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• Step 5: Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• Step 6: Were entirely ready to have our Higher Power remove all these defects of character.
• Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
• Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
• Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when doing so would injure them or others.
• Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when we were wrong.
• Step 11: Sought through prayer or meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
• Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Changes Healing Center Can Help Break the Alcohol Abuse Cycle

Changing Healing Center can provide more support than AA. Some people have been successful dealing with an addiction by attending AA groups, but many do require a laser focus on therapy to achieve sobriety.

The recovery process is never easy, no matter what path you choose. However, Changes, a Joint Commission-accredited treatment center, can offer you all the professional tools to write a new future.

Call our admissions team today for a free, confidential phone assessment of your symptoms and the next steps you can take.