Updated on: September 2, 2026 by John Ingham
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an established organization that has helped people recover from alcohol addiction for decades. While the AA 12 Steps are the organization’s best-known tool, there are several crucial aspects of AA that help people stay on the path of sobriety.
The 12 Promises of AA, or the AA Promises, are a pillar of the organization and act as “mile markers” to stay resolute in sobriety. Learn more about the AA Promises and how they help in recovery.
Key Points
- AA literature contains promises associated with the spiritual and practical work of the Twelve Steps. The best-known collection is commonly called the Ninth Step Promises.
- The promises describe changes that may develop as someone actively works the Steps, including greater freedom, peace, perspective, and usefulness to others.
- The promises are not guarantees that recovery will look identical for everyone or occur on a specific timeline.
- Brooks Healing Center combines professional addiction treatment with opportunities to build long-term recovery support, including 12-Step participation for clients who find it helpful.
What Are the 12 Promises of AA?
Promises appear throughout Alcoholics Anonymous literature in connection with the work of different Steps. The passage most commonly referred to simply as “The Promises” is the well-known collection found during the discussion of Step Nine in the Big Book, but it is not the only place AA describes promises or expected spiritual growth associated with working the Steps.
For many people in AA, each Step carries its own promises: changes in perspective, behavior, relationships, connection, and freedom that develop through actually practicing the principles rather than simply abstaining from alcohol.
The 12 AA Promises offer a list of things to look forward to in recovery. They’re found in the “Big Book,” the official guide to Alcoholics Anonymous, in Chapter 6: “Into Action” on pages 83-84.[1] They’re presented as out-loud readings at the end of AA meetings, typically before the closing prayer.
Here are the 12 AA Promises:[2]
- Promise 1: We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
- Promise 2: We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
- Promise 3: We will comprehend the word serenity.
- Promise 4: We will know peace.
- Promise 5: No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
- Promise 6: The feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
- Promise 7: We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
- Promise 8: Self-seeking will slip away.
- Promise 9: Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
- Promise 10: Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
- Promise 11: We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
- Promise 12: We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
How to Interpret the 12 AA Promises
People in recovery often begin to see positive changes in their lives as they work through the 9th Step, which is making amends. This includes a shift in attitude and perception, including feelings of freedom and happiness, new perspectives, acceptance of self and others, and a renewed purpose or direction in life.
In doing so, people restore their hope and faith, learn to be selfless, and experience less fear or stress. They also earn redemption for their past behaviors while they are struggling with addiction and gain a fresh start.
The “Big Book” refers to the AA Promises as “being fulfilled among us – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.”[3] Some members experience the Promises early, while others venture into them gradually. Most importantly, the 12 Promises can be as unique as the individual experiences and may come to different people at different times.
After the promises, the book says, “If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through.”[4]
Do All Twelve Steps Have Promises?
AA literature describes promises and positive changes throughout the process of working the Twelve Steps. While the Ninth Step Promises are the most frequently quoted as a single group, people in AA often speak more broadly about the promises associated with each Step.
For example, earlier Steps emphasize hope, willingness, and relief from trying to control addiction alone. The inventory and amends Steps contain promises connected to honesty, freedom from the past, repaired relationships, and a changing view of ourselves and others. Later Steps describe continued spiritual growth, improved intuition, usefulness to others, and a new way of living.
The central idea is that the promises are connected to doing the work of the Steps, not simply reaching a particular length of sobriety.
The Promises are intended as encouragement within the AA recovery tradition rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes. Different people experience recovery, emotional growth, relationships, spirituality, and quality of life differently.
How Do the AA Promises Help in Recovery?
AA is built on four sources of guidance:
- Attending AA meetings and gaining mentorship from other members who have practiced the 12 Steps and applied the AA principles to their lives.
- Gaining guidance from the program, the “Big Book,” the 12 Steps, and their instructions.
- Establishing a relationship with a Higher Power, in whatever form, and trusting in its wisdom.
- Creating a hopeful vision of the future and finding the inner will to realize it.
The fourth source, the self, is why the Promises are so important. They describe the possible future if you commit to recovery and assure you it can be the outcome. The 12 Promises promise hope and redemption.
Combined with the other tools of AA, people can free themselves from the cycle of addiction, cravings, and the need to control while gaining feelings of gratitude, meaning, and purpose.
Each AA Promise provides inspiration and a path forward, particularly for people new to recovery. That’s why they’re included in the 9th Step, or making amends, to instill feelings of purpose and discourage regret.
Where Did the AA Promises Come From?
The AA Promises originated in the second edition of Alcoholics Anonymous’s “Big Book” in 1955. Originally, there were nine Promises, but they’ve evolved to include 12 statements that provide a roadmap to the future.
As the AA community grew and evolved, there was a recognized need for encouragement and positive reinforcement. Many people struggling with addiction face overwhelming feelings of hopelessness. The AA Promises can be transformative, instilling faith in the possibility of a full life without substances.
How to Use AA Promises
Living according to the pillars of AA involves integrating the key principles into your routine. Here are some ways you can apply the promises:
- Practice gratitude for life’s blessings, no matter how small, to shift from negativity to positivity.
- Cultivate mindfulness practices like meditation or deep breathing to stay in the moment and reduce stress.
- Serve others and give back to your community with volunteering or other acts of service, even just offering kind words to a stranger.
- Prioritize self-care by nourishing your body, mind, and spirit. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that bring you joy.
- Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and members who understand your struggle and provide accountability and encouragement.
- Stay committed to growth and view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth with realistic goals and efforts.
- Trust in a higher power or belief system that aligns with your values and provides comfort and guidance.
Getting Help for Addiction
While the pillars of AA and the 12 Promises can be incredibly helpful in recovery from addiction, they’re not enough to overcome addiction on their own. If you or a loved one is struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, a comprehensive addiction treatment program is necessary to build a strong foundation and skills for long-term sobriety.
AA and Professional Addiction Treatment
Alcoholics Anonymous is a peer-support fellowship rather than a medical or behavioral health treatment provider.
Brooks Healing Center provides professional addiction treatment through medical detox, residential treatment, medication-assisted treatment when clinically appropriate, partial hospitalization programming, therapy, dual-diagnosis care, and sober living.
For clients who connect with 12-Step recovery, AA can become one component of the larger recovery support system they build during and after treatment.
FAQ’s
What Are the AA Promises?
The AA Promises describe positive changes associated with working the Steps. They are intended as encouragement within the AA recovery tradition rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes. Different people experience recovery, emotional growth, relationships, spirituality, and quality of life differently.
What Do the AA Promises Entail?
The 12 Promises cover different aspects of recovery, including freedom, purpose, emotional stability, peace and happiness, and helping others.
How Do the Promises Work?
The AA Promises are based on the principles of the AA program, which emphasizes honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, and service to others. As people work through the 12 Steps, they often find these promises begin to manifest on their own.
When Are the Promises Fulfilled?
Each recovery journey is unique. Some members experience the AA Promises early in recovery, while others may take longer to reach them. Commitment to the program and personal growth play important roles in realizing the Promises.
Where are the best-known AA Promises found?
The passage most commonly called the Ninth Step Promises appears in Chapter 6, “Into Action,” of Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly called the Big Book, on pages 83–84 in widely used editions.
Those are the most famous AA Promises, but they are not the only promises or descriptions of spiritual growth found throughout AA’s discussion of the Twelve Steps.
Sources
[1,2,3,4] What are “the promises”? Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aa.org/faq/what-are-promises on 2024, September 24.
