I use the term "program," I think, to differentiate between people actively striving to grow versus those who are merely drifting through life.
I understand what you are saying. For me, "actively striving to grow"
means living my life. They are one and the same. By definition a program is "a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal", so yes, anyone actively pursuing the goal of a rewarding life would technically be working a "program" no matter what they are doing....even if that involves a bit of purposeful drifting. In my experience, the commonly accepted definition of "program" in relation to addiction is use of one the models already mentioned in this thread.