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Shortcuts to the 12 Steps

12 simple reminders that make one of recovery’s most popular tools easier to remember.

The 12 Steps have helped many people find recovery from addiction. Their wisdom has led many to change their lives for the better. But let’s be honest. Remembering all 12 Steps isn’t always easy. Especially for newcomers.

That’s exactly why comedian, author, and recovery expert Mark Lundholm created Shortcuts to the 12 Steps.

As Mark explains:

“This presentation is not meant to reinvent or replace the 12 Step process. It was created to enhance the experience, increase the enjoyment, and simplify the digestion of this amazing set of powerful principles for a better way of living.”

His goal wasn’t to rewrite the Steps. It was to make them easier to remember.

Using his signature humor and decades of recovery experience, Mark distilled each Step into a short phrase that captures its central idea. They’re memorable enough to carry with you throughout the day, while still pointing back to the deeper work of the original 12 Steps.

The Shortcuts to the 12 Steps

Step 1: I Don’t Know

Admitting powerlessness isn’t admitting you’re hopeless. It’s admitting that what you’ve been doing isn’t working anymore. “I don’t know” is often where change begins.

Step 2: I’d Like To

Recovery starts with willingness. You don’t have to have perfect faith. Sometimes simply saying, “I’d like to believe there’s a better way,” is enough to begin.

Step 3: I’ll Ask

Recovery isn’t a solo project. Ask for guidance. Ask for help. Ask for a different direction than the one that brought you here.

Step 4: I’ll Look

Take an honest inventory. Look at what’s working, what isn’t, what you’re carrying, and what you’re ready to leave behind.

Step 5: I’ll Tell

Healing begins when secrets lose their power. Tell the truth to someone you trust.

Step 6: I’ll Count

Take an honest count of the behaviors, attitudes, and habits that no longer serve you, not to shame yourself, but to prepare for change.

Step 7: I’ll Wait

Growth can’t be rushed. Humility requires patience. Recovery unfolds one day at a time.

Step 8: I’ll Make a List

Write down the people you’ve harmed. Not to dwell on guilt, but to begin making things right.

Step 9: I’ll Make an Effort

You may not be able to fix everything, but you can make an honest effort wherever possible.

Step 10: I’ll Look In

Recovery is ongoing. Continue checking in with yourself, taking responsibility, and making corrections along the way.

Step 11: I’ll Look Up

Stay connected to something greater than yourself through prayer, meditation, reflection, gratitude, or quiet moments of honesty.

Step 12: I’ll Reach Out

Recovery isn’t complete until it’s shared. Pass hope forward. Help someone else. That’s how recovery grows.

Why People Love These Shortcuts

The beauty of Mark’s Shortcuts isn’t that they replace the 12 Steps. They don’t.

They simply make them easier to remember. When you’re overwhelmed, stressed, or trying to make a better decision in the middle of everyday life, it’s a lot easier to remember “I’ll Look In” or “I’ll Reach Out” than to recall the wording of an entire Step.

That’s what makes these so powerful. They’re practical. They’re memorable. And they point you back to the deeper wisdom of the original program.

Coming September 2026

The Shortcuts to the 12 Steps video is part of Shortcuts to Recovery, a new collection featuring Mark Lundholm, coming to Wholehearted this September.

The collection expands on these memorable reminders with practical insights, humor, and decades of lived recovery experience, helping make recovery principles easier to understand, remember, and apply in everyday life.

Healing takes time. We’re here to help with your next step.

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