Smokers: Have You Made These Three Big Mistakes ?

Many smokers make three big mistakes when they try to quit. Mistakes that soon have them back on the hook again and often feeling more desperate then ever. Learn here from the experience of others and you can avoid making these costly mistakes yourself.

Mistake #1

Ask a smoker if they should quit smoking and most will readily agree that they should. Ask them if they would like to quit and you likely get ready agreement as well. But take it from someone who has quit themselves and helps others to quit as their job; should and wanting to quit are starting points but they are not strong enough motivators to get the job done.

They'll be no success until a smoker really has decided to quit. What makes a smoker decide to quit rather than just want to? When the pain of continuing to smoke becomes greater than the pain of quitting. When you've decided to quit, you may not know how on earth you're going to manage it but you know you're going to find a way somehow.

If you don't feel that kind of pain yet, work on it! Start to think seriously about how this slow suicide habit is really negatively affecting your life. Write the reasons down, add to the list each day, carry it with you at all times and read it to yourself regularly. You'll start to feel the pain. Start another list of all the benefits you'll enjoy as a non-smoker. Read this list as well each time you read your list of reasons for not smoking.

Mistake #2

Simply, this mistake is not having a plan. Everyone knows of some smoker who “just woke up one day and quit.” Well that's just great and I am very happy whenever I hear of any one who has quit however they managed it. But again, from experience I know (and the research bears this out) that less than 10 percent of smokers quit successfully going this route.

You are obviously not just choosing to smoke. If you were then you could just as easily choose not to smoke. You know it's not that simple. First then, you need to identify what is driving your smoking habit. You can learn more about these drivers from information from the web, a book or a professional knowledgeable about these things. At the same time you can also get the help you need to plan some sound strategies to counteract those drivers.

Mistake # 3

Developing the right attitude is everything when you've decided to become a non-smoker, plan or no plan. Imagine two people set off to climb a tall mountain, each with equal weighing backpacks. The first one looks up and exclaims "Oh no, what a HUGE mountain! How am I ever going to succeed in climbing THAT? This pack is already so heavy! I am never going to be able to do this. What could I have been thinking of?”
The second climber also looks up. "Oh boy! what a beautiful mountain! I can't wait to get up to the top and tell everyone what I saw and that I actually did it. I am sure you can see for miles from up there!".

Not hard to see which climber has a better chance of making it to the top is it? Well, you've got your mountain to climb to become a non-smoker. You can do it – if you develop the right attitude. Without it, you've failed before you start.

Think about it

Becoming a non-smoker is the best thing you can do for yourself; giving yourself the gift not only of a longer life but a better quality of life. A life with more energy in it than you can imagine. A life in which you become more attractive overnight and of course, save a pile of money at the same time!

You can do it. Millions have. But they avoided the three big mistakes when setting out to become one. They took the decision to quit, they had a plan and they developed the winning attitude. How about you, will you avoid the three big mistakes?