Getting Ready for Change with Humility

What is the Sixth Step in Alcoholics Anonymous?

“Step 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”

If Step 5 is admitting our defects, then Step 6 is accepting them, accepting them with our entire being. I mean, really taking them to heart. Embracing them. Understanding them and knowing from whence they came.

Step 6 is about becoming ready to let go of your character defects and embracing personal transformation. It’s a step of humility and willingness, once again acknowledging that you can’t do it all alone and opening yourself up to change through His guidance. It’s a profound moment of readiness and trust in the process of growth and healing as outlined in the 12 Steps.

But Step 6 isn’t just about readiness, it’s about total acceptance. By embracing and understanding the roots of our defects, we can begin to release the ideas that bind us to them. We learn to see those imperfections as parts of ourselves, as we were shaped by past experiences, but they do not define our future.  They define our past. We look to the future. In this anticipation, there’s faith and hope that transformation will come, both through spiritual guidance and internal growth.

All of this is defined by humility. True humility is a deep and genuine recognition of our place in the world, acknowledging our strengths without arrogance, and embracing our limitations without shame. It involves an openness to learning, a willingness to serve others, and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of life. At its core, humility is about authenticity and grace, grounded in who you are while fostering compassion and respect for others. It’s not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Fake It Until You Make It

All of this is going to take some time.  We can sit in eager anticipation, or we can start practicing.  They say you should just act like you want to be.  You know what’s wrong.  You have a whole list of defects to clean up.  Just don’t act on them.  Act like the person that you want to be until someday you find that maybe it’s not all an act.  Maybe you really are starting to grow as a person.