Step 4 — Moral Inventory: List Of Fears – Joe C. – 1998 – Session 26

About This Speaker Tape

Joe C. maps out the fear inventory as a way to expose the 'evil and corroding thread' that shot through the fabric of his existence. He describes a life where he thought he was brave, only to find on paper that he was terrified of the IRS, the police, and the threat of divorce.

He traces the wreckage back to a simple, gritty reality: he was either afraid he wouldn't get what he wanted, he'd lose what he had, or he'd be caught doing something he shouldn't have. By filling out five columns, he dismantles the 'file cabinet' in his head, realizing his fears were 'double dumb' once written down. He moves from the wreckage of self-reliance to a reliance on a Higher Power, replacing 'damaged and unsaleable goods' with faith and courage.

The change isn't abstract; it shows up in the real world—like finally building a set of kitchen cabinets and not giving a damn if people laugh at the mistakes.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Opening: Discussion on Page 67 and fear as a corroding thread
• 6:00 Instructions for reviewing fears and filling out the first column
• 13:00 Addressing 'macho' attitudes and common types of fear
• 21:00 LAUGHTER: Banter between speaker and Joe regarding headaches
• 25:00 Column Two: Identifying the specific cause of fear
• 29:00 Column Three: Analyzing threats to the basic instincts of life
• 35:00 Step 4: Column Four and the part played in setting the ball rolling
• 40:00 Column Five: Analyzing selfishness, dishonesty, and Step 6/7 shortcomings
• 45:00 Connecting fear and resentment sheets for Step 8 and Step 9
• 48:00 The second prayer in the Big Book regarding Step 4 fears
• 50:00 Replacing fear with faith and courage: The kitchen cabinets example