“To all appearance he is a stable, well balanced individual.” (Chapter 3, Big Book)
“My old manner of life was by no means a bad one, but I would not exchange its best moments for the worst I have now. I would not go back to it even if I could.” (Chapter 3, Big Book)
“We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. He fools himself. Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks and get away with them.” (Chapter 11, Big Book)
“To all appearance” implies that how he appears belies the reality. One does not say, “To all appearance, grass is green,” because grass definitely is green.
Even he did not realise that his life was falling far short of what it could be until he was transported to a new condition, from the perspective of which he acquired new insight.
Note that the boy whistling in the dark is fooling himself. He does not realise that his self-perception does not match the reality.
When I apply this to myself, I am not the best judge of whether I am doing well or badly. I might be doing a lot better than I think. I might be doing a lot worse.
This is why I have to seek to adhere to the perfect ideal, which is an objective anchoring point, rather than pitching the effort to match the condition in which I think I find myself.
This way, whatever needs to be remedied will be remedied.