A few years ago I dropped around to the office of a work colleague and said, ‘Graham, I’m getting fat.’ Without looking up from his work he said, ‘Well stop eating.’
Sounds easy doesn’t it?
They say that when it’s all said and done, there’s usually a lot more said than done. To successfully ‘stop eating’, most people, need a plan of some sort. They need commitment and persistence, otherwise by about 11am you’re dipping into the biscuit bowl at work or racing out to get a donut.
It’s pretty much the same with stopping smoking. You need a plan, you need to be committed and persistent.
The facts
But first up you need the facts. In fact you probably don’t need any more facts. You know smoking is no good for your health. If you’re like me I grew up knowing smoking was no good for me.
When I was a kid we had a copy of Coles Funny Picture Book and I can still remember the picture of a callow youth who was a smoker. In those days smoking stunted your growth.
You might have seen Yul Bryner on Youtube saying, ‘Whatever you do, just don’t smoke.’ Coming from a guy who was dying of lung cancer it’s a compelling message.
Yul Brynner “Don’t Smoke” commercial – 1989
You want more evidence, Click below:
The Harmful Effects of Smoking
However facts aren’t enough.
I write this article in July 2015. Last week I attended the funeral of a bloke aged 78 who for a lot of his life smoked 60 cigarettes a day. He died of a massive heart attack. (Have you noticed that when people die of a coronary occlusion it’s always described as a ‘massive heart attack’?)
In latter years he cut back to 20 a day. How he lived until 78 is a mystery. He must have had the constitution of an ox. He knew the facts. His wife and his children begged him to quit – all to no avail.
The goal
You need a goal. For a goal to be effective you need a deadline. You need a schedule for when you’re going to stop smoking. Next you need a strategy to psyche you up for stopping smoking on a particular day.
I suggest you pick a day which is equivalent to the number of cigarettes you have each day. If you’re smoking 20 cigarettes a day give yourself 20 days to give up. If you smoke 7 cigarettes a day, give yourself 7 days.
Over the specified number of days, commit to having one less cigarette a day.
Support
During that time you’ll need support. Tell people you’re giving up smoking on such and such a day. Tell them you are going to have one less cigarette a day and on the final day you’re going to ask them to be present while you have your last cigarette.
If they’re smokers, tell them not to offer you a cigarette when they light up.
(If you’re smoking less than 7 cigarettes a day you might just say here and now, ‘This is my last Cigarette’ and be done with it.)
Commitment
An inner mental training program is an essential tool in the stop smoking took kit. If you can constantly affirm what you’re going to do, particularly while you’re in a meditative state you’ll be bolstering your resolve. Once the ‘stop smoking’ message gets locked in to your sub-conscious mind you’re well on the way to stopping smoking. If you click on the book cover below I can show you how to do that.
With inner mental training you’re constantly affirming what you’re going to do. You have a goal. You’re committed achieving it. You’re disciplined. You’ve got the support of your sub-conscious as well as the support of people around you.
I’ve always liked this quote from Scottish Mountaineer, William Murray,
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!
Persistence
Finally a quote from US President, Calvin Coolidge:
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
If you’d like some support and assistance in your quest to stop smoking, click on the book cover below.
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