Steps 10 and 12 – George – East Coast Convention – 2009

About This Speaker Tape

George maps out the daily grind of the Tenth Step, treating it as a continuous Fourth Step to prevent the wreckage of the present from piling up. He describes his early days as a 'human doing' rather than a human being, plagued by terminal uniqueness and a short memory span that required him to journal just to keep track of his day. George dismantles the illusion of 'justified anger,' recounting a violent college incident where he smashed a beer mug across a man's face, and explains how self-restraint is now his primary tool for survival.

He walks through his specific balance sheet—a yes/no checklist of selfishness and dishonesty—and argues that spiritual fitness is a daily reprieve, not a cure. For George, the process is about shifting from a warped perception of himself to a place where he can finally sleep in good conscience.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:45 George discusses the danger of 'terminal uniqueness' and comparing instead of identifying.
• 3:15 The 'swinging door' metaphor for managing an overwhelmed mind.
• 6:20 Laughter: Story about a friend and the urge for 'vicarious pleasure'.
• 10:10 George lists his character defects, including his 'three higher powers': money, property, and prestige.
• 14:30 Detailed breakdown of Step 10 and its relationship to Steps 4 through 9.
• 18:15 Discussion on the 'miracle' of the removal of the obsession to drink.
• 22:40 George reads through his specific daily balance sheet/inventory checklist.
• 27:10 Story about smashing a beer mug in college as an example of 'justified anger'.
• 31:00 The concept of the 'emotional hangover' and how it differs from a physical one.
• 35:45 Closing thoughts on grace and the shift from a warped perception to self-forgiveness.