For thousands of years we have been demanding more than our share of security, prestige, and romance. When we seemed to be succeeding, we drank to dream still greater dreams. When we were frustrated, even in part, we drank for oblivion. Never was there enough of what we thought we wanted. In all these strivings, so many of them well–intentioned, our crippling handicap had been our lack of humility. We had lacked the perspective to see that character–building and spiritual values had to come first, and that material satisfactions were not the purpose of living.

Time and again I approached the Seventh Step, only to fall back and regroup. Something was missing and the impact of the Step escaped me. What had I overlooked? A single word: read but ignored, the foundation of all the Steps, indeed the entire Alcoholics Anonymous program – that word is "humbly". I understood my shortcomings: I constantly put tasks off; I angered easily; I felt too much self–pity; and thought, why me? Then I remembered, "Pride goethe before the fall," and I eliminated pride from my life.