Working the Program vs Living the Program

When I first came into the rooms, I heard people talking about “working the program.” It sounded like a job assignment, something you had to punch in for. Over time, I also started hearing people describe what it meant to “live the program.” At first, I wasn’t sure there was much of a difference. I thought it was just two ways of saying the same thing. But as the years stacked up, and the steps became part of my day-to-day living, I came to see there is a real shift that happens. Working the program kept me sober in the beginning. Living the program keeps me free today.

In the early days, working the program was everything. I had a sponsor who told me exactly what to do: go to meetings, get commitments, pick up the phone, write about resentments, pray in the morning, pray at night. I didn’t always want to do it, but I followed directions because my life depended on it. It felt like homework. Sometimes I checked off boxes just to prove to myself I was “doing AA.” And honestly, that structure was what I needed at the time. It gave me something solid to grab onto when everything else in my life was spinning out.

I look back on those first couple of years as the foundation of my sobriety. Working the program meant action. It was about discipline, following through, and not letting myself drift too far from the basics. Meetings, steps, service, prayer, sponsor. Those tools gave me a fighting chance at a new life. Without them, I wouldn’t have stuck around long enough to find out what real recovery could feel like.

But somewhere along the way, working the program started to turn into living the program. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and declared, “I’m living the program now.” It was more subtle than that. It was the way I caught myself pausing before reacting in anger. It was noticing that I wanted to help the newcomer, not just because I was told to, but because it felt natural. It was finding myself grateful for another sober day, not as a slogan, but as something I actually felt deep down.

Living the program means I don’t just pull out the steps when I’m in trouble. They’re part of me. When I’m faced with resentment, Step Ten comes to mind. When I’m fearful, I remember to seek God’s help instead of spinning in circles. When I fall short, I make amends quicker. It’s not about perfection. It’s about letting these principles shape who I am, not just what I do.

There’s a big piece of Step Twelve that hits home here. It tells us we try to carry the message and practice these principles in all our affairs. That’s living the program. Not just in the meetings. Not just when I’m writing inventory. In all my affairs. With my family, with coworkers, with strangers at the grocery store. It doesn’t mean I do it perfectly, but it does mean the program is no longer separate from my life. It is my life.

Tradition One also comes to mind: our common welfare comes first. For me, that’s part of living the program too. When I keep unity and service in focus, I’m reminded that recovery isn’t just about me staying sober. It’s about being useful. It’s about showing up for others the way others showed up for me. That’s the difference between working and living. Working was about saving my own skin. Living is about carrying the message and being part of something greater than myself.

To anyone new who’s wondering what this all means, I’ll say this: don’t rush it. Keep working the program. Do the steps. Make the calls. Say the prayers. Show up at meetings. It may feel mechanical at first, but that’s okay. That’s how it works. Over time, those actions become habits, and those habits become a way of life. That’s where the living part comes in.

I never would have gotten to living the program if I hadn’t first been willing to work it. The two aren’t in conflict — they build on each other. Today, when I think about the difference, I see it as the shift from doing recovery to being in recovery. And I wouldn’t trade that freedom for anything.

There’s lots of AA meetings available to attend in-person or virtually. If you’re struggling with drinking, seek out the help you need, you can’t do it on your own. I know I couldn’t do it on my own and still can’t.

Find a sponsor that will take you through the steps as outlined in the book. You’ll see more of the truth about who you are and eventually it’ll change your life.

Change Your Truth, Change Your Life.

Haler Smith