A New Pair of Glasses: Chuck C (Part 3 of 6)A New Pair of Glasses: Chuck C (Part 3 of 6)
Sober Cast: An (unofficial) Alcoholics Anonymous Podcast AA
Chuck C shares how AA and Step 10 transformed his honesty, family life, and business, focusing on truth, surrender, and genuine sharing. His talk outlines practical ways he applied these principles at home, at work, and with fellow alcoholics.
1:20:31•2 Aug 2026
Chuck C on Truth, Step 10, and Taking AA Home and to Work
Episode Overview
- Step 10 is a daily check on how closely someone is living AA principles, not a repeat of earlier Steps.
- Admitting "I don't know" and "I was wrong" makes life simpler and more comfortable, especially in long-term relationships.
- AA is about sharing experience, strength, and hope, rather than telling others what to do.
- Taking AA principles home means talking honestly about personal failures and changes instead of trying to control family members.
- Approaching work as service – giving full attention and helping because one wants to – can turn a hated job into meaningful, even successful, work.
“The most powerful thing on the face of the earth is the simple, unadulterated truth.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This classic talk from Chuck C, recorded at the Pala Mesa Men's Retreat in 1975, gives a raw, funny, and very direct look at how Alcoholics Anonymous changed his life from a "tongue-chewing, babbling" drunk into a man who can live honestly at home, at work, and in his own head. Across this session, you'll hear Chuck unpack Step 10 and the daily habit of honest self-appraisal.
He explains how learning to say "I don't know" and "I was wrong" changed everything, even after decades of marriage: telling his wife "I was wrong, you were right all the time" might sting his ego, but it leaves him comfortable in his own skin. For Chuck, "The most powerful thing on the face of the earth is the simple, unadulterated truth." He talks about sharing rather than telling – especially with family.
His story of trying to "make over" his artistic son, then travelling to London to apologise and finally connect, shows how sobriety reshaped his relationships. Chuck insists that loved ones don't want lectures; they want to hear how someone "beat himself to death and what he did to get out of it." You’ll also hear how the AA way moved into his business life.
By giving his "entire interest, attention, and love" to the task at hand and helping people "because I wanted to", Chuck describes going from hating his job and boss to owning a thriving company and being surrounded by employees who cried when he sold up. This talk speaks directly to anyone who’s sober, newly sober, or thinking about AA, especially those wondering how to bring the Steps into family life, work, and everyday decisions.
It asks a simple question: what might change if you stopped trying to get big and just told the truth, for free and for fun?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.