Step 4 addresses character defects, wrongs, shortcomings, etc.

Just what are they? They're not acts or actions of our past, the're problems with our thinking - problems that produce the wrong behaviors. Which words describe these defects, these wrongs, these shortcomings?

Here's a list of words found in the Big Book: "selfish", "self-seeking", "fearful", "inconsiderate" and "dishonest".

Since this is an important step, we must understand what the words really mean. Here are some clarifying words found in a dictionary:

• Selfish: Concerned chiefly or only with oneself 2. Arising from, characterized by, or showing selfishness.
• Self-Seeking: adjective - 1. Pursuing only one's own ends or interests. 2. Exhibiting concern only with promoting one's own ends or interests: self-seeking maneuvers.
  Noun - Determined pursuit of one's own ends or interests.
• Fearful: 1. Experiencing fear; frightened, afraid. 2. Feeling or inclined to feel anxiety or apprehension; timid; nervous. 3. Indicating anxiety, fear, or terror: a fearful, nervous glance. 4. Feeling reverence, dread, or awe. (Another definition of fearful involves the ability to cause fear.) Fear: A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear. 2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish. 3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power. 4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear. Fearless: without fear (not necessarily brave, bold, or heroic).
• Inconsiderate: 1. Thoughtless of others; displaying a lack of consideration. 2. Not well considered or carefully thought out; ill-advised.
• Dishonest: 1. Disposed to lie, cheat, defraud, or deceive. 2. Resulting from or marked by a lack of honesty. These adjectives mean lacking honesty or truthfulness. Dishonest is the least specific: a dishonest business executive. Lying conveys a blunt accusation of untruth: a lying witness giving inconsistent testimony. Untruthful is a softer term and suggests lack of veracity (accuracy or precision) and divergence from fact: made an untruthful statement. Deceitful implies misleading by falsehood or by concealment of the truth: deceitful advertising. Mendacious is more formal than lying, and suggests a chronic inclination toward untruth: a mendacious and troublesome employee.

As one fellow put it during his 5th Step: "I'm a selfish, self-centered sonovabitch, fulla fear and, because of that, I've made a lot of bad decisions!" Well, upon reflection, that sums it up pretty well for me, too.(At first, I didn't think so, but then...)

What other terms and ideas can help all of us get clearer pictures of what our issues when thinking about "character defects"?