DISCOVERY PHASE
The discovery phase begins with the first, usually fleeting thought, “I think I should quit sometime,” and ends with the determination, “Now I want to seriously try.” During this phase, you consciously, but above all unconsciously, absorb a lot of information that sets you back enormously in your goal of becoming a non-smoker. Many smokers never manage to move beyond this phase. They remain stuck with their initial weak resolution that it would be better to quit “sometime.” To prevent this from happening to you, follow tips 1 – 14.
No normal smoker would quit"just like that" overnight.
The Journey is the Destination
I consider myself qualified to give you advice on quitting smoking. After all, I was a heavy smoker for twenty-two years. It was often one pack a day, usually two. In my smoking world, I barely noticed when my then-partner, now my wife, stopped smoking for a while. Quite the opposite, I told her that I did not want to restrict myself because of her or even consider quitting out of solidarity. That was completely out of the question for me.
Anyone Can Do It
I have since woken up, because on September 29, 1999, I smoked my last cigarette. However, until that point, like almost all smokers, I thought that it would be incredibly difficult to quit smoking and that I would have to suffer"forever." I always assumed that I was"somehow" different from the many other ex-smokers who had managed to quit before me. It was clear to me that I would never be able to live without cigarettes, let alone live well. After twenty-two years as a smoker, I had nearly given up hope of ever kicking the habit.
"It is not because it is difficult that we do not dare, but because we do not dare that it is difficult."
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
But then something fantastic happened. Within seconds, I became a non-smoker. Something just clicked, and I was free! I had done it, and I had been wrong all those years. And how wrong I had been! Today I know that EVERY SMOKER can do it. And not only that, but I also know how much better life is as a non-smoker. It's just a question of having the right attitude and perspective toward smoking, nothing more.
Tip 1 Never get discouraged, because there is no such thing as a hopeless smoker. It only exists in your mind and is pure illusion. Anyone can do it; you simply have to believe in yourself!
Check Your Motivation
Motivation is defined as"a person's activated willingness to behave in a certain way in order to achieve certain goals." So, how willing are you to achieve the goal of becoming a non-smoker?
Don't worry if you are not feeling highly motivated yet. This book is still perfect for you, because motivation doesn't appear out of nowhere. Motivation builds through action. You learn, you reflect, you talk things through — and before you know it, you feel ready to take on the challenge. Keep looking for ideas and inspir
