Why Quit Smoking? Here's 5 Reasons!

Smoking can cause emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease. But none of this is new, none of it is news. All smokers know about this, but they tune out and gloss over the possibility of coming down with smoking-related diseases so that smoking does not feel like a fearful, guilty experience. But the sooner you take off the blinders and carefully consider the damage nicotine addiction causes, the sooner you can quit smoking cigarettes. Here are five good reasons to go easy on the cigarettes.

1. Heart Disease

In the U.S alone, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death, and the leading cause of the disease is smoking. Cigarette smoke toxins cause plaque to form in arteries. This leads to atherosclerosis, or the hardening of arteries. Put more simply, smoking is hard on the heart.

2. Lung Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates that in the U.S alone, hundreds of thousands will be diagnosed with cancer every year, and three-fourths of these cases will result in death.

Lung cancer is the cancer that causes the most number of deaths in both women and men. Worse, 87 percent of lung cancer cases involve tobacco. The silver lining in the dark cloud is that lung cancer is completely preventable, and the best way to prevent it is to quit smoking cigarettes.

3. Stroke

According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, stroke kills more than 150,000 people every year. It's the third most frequent cause of death in the U.S. The risk of suffering a stroke is higher for smokers than that of non-smokers - roughly 2 and 1/2 times more, in fact.

4. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

This lung disease either narrows your airways or blocks them altogether. When this happens, air flow in and out of your lungs is reduced. It's a slow, progressive disease that is irreversible. Tobacco is the leading cause of COPD. If you're a smoker and want to halt the damage, stop smoking. There is no other way. In the U.S alone, an estimated 14 million suffer COPD undiagnosed.

5. Oral Cancer

According to statistics, 70 percent of all oral cancer cases are due to heavy tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Why risk coming down with oral cancer? Quit smoking cigarettes while you still can.

Do not wait till you're sick to quit smoking cigarettes. Learn just how destructive tobacco really is, and start fighting your nicotine addiction today!

Punishment is Not the Way to Quit Smoking

Situation assessment

Every smoker tries to quit smoking at least once in their lifetime. For some, the first time is the last time and they never touch another cigarette. For others it is the beginning of a long period of self-resentment and guilt trips.

Indeed, not many experiences can rival failed attempts to quit smoking, in its ability to make a person feel bad, worthless and totally out of control. The first time the attempt fails, it's not a big deal. The second time is followed by tiny pang of regret. The third time causes a person to start questioning their resolve. The fourth time comes with a shocking realization of just how little control we can have over our own bodies. And without exception, this is encouraged by people/books/websites that give advice to smokers. "Punish yourself for smoking, reward yourself for not smoking," is a commonly heard tip. "Put yourself in a situation where you can't smoke," is another. I won't even comment on the "Use electronic cigarettes/nicotine patches" tip - do these people think smokers can fool their bodies so easily?

These tips never last. If a person successfully quits smoking, rest assured, it's not because of these tips. Why do these tips not work? Because they're barbaric. Nobody would recommend you to beat your kid, in order to raise him/her. No pet expert will ever recommend you beat your dog/cat, in order to teach it some discipline. No conquered country ever embraced occupants. In the same vein, self-hating punitive methods can not help in quitting smoking.

The way to results

Quitting is actually very easy. It may sound a little cliche, but the trick is to want it. Do you want to quit smoking? Not because mom wants it, or your wife wants it, or because your friends want it. Do you feel like you smoke too much?

If you identify that you truly want to quit smoking, then suddenly it is not a problem. Start by lowering the amount you smoke a day. I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day until I realized I want to stop. Overnight I minimized my smoking to a pack a week.

Keep lowering the amount you smoke in incremental steps. When you feel comfortable with the amount you smoke, see if you can lower it some more, then get used to it. After a few weeks of smoking a pack per week, I lowered my amount to a cigarette per week. Then per month. Then - you can guess it - I stopped completely.

One important thing to keep in mind is - never punish yourself for smoking. Would you punish yourself for having messy hair on a Monday, or for falling and breaking a leg? It'll do you no good. If you suddenly get a craving to smoke - go for it. Smoke a cigarette. And while you smoke, think about how it makes you feel and if it's really worth it. If it feels worth it, then that's because it is (at the moment).

By not approaching your smoking habit angrily, you will succeed at lowering the amount you smoke, even if you don't quit outright. And quitting is just one step from there.

The trick is to think of it as lowering the amount you smoke, because you feel like it. No more, no less.

Good luck!

Quitting Smoking or Sex - Which is Harder?

Mon Dec 9,10:15 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Most smokers in Europe would find it easier to give up sex for a month than cigarettes and many view even bungee jumping or parachuting as less difficult than kicking the habit.

A survey of more than 2,000 smokers published Monday showed just how addictive nicotine is when 62 percent of smokers in six European countries said they felt the New Year is a good time to quit, but only three percent used it as a trigger to stop.

"In every single country the vast majority of smokers want to stop," Dr Alex Bobak, of the anti-smoking group SCAPE, told a news conference to launch the international poll.

"The motivation is there but they don't go about it in the right way."

Nearly 80 percent of British smokers, almost 70 percent in the Netherlands, France and Germany and more than 55 percent in the Belgium and Spain would forgo sex rather than live without cigarettes for a month.

Although 60 percent of European smokers said they would try to quit if it affected their love life, 35 percent of smokers admitted they have never attempted to stop smoking.

Fear of health problems was the biggest motivator to quit, followed by concerns for their family and the cost of cigarettes but 62 percent who tried to quit began smoking again within a month.

Identifying Addictive Behavior in Your Life

Addictive personalities are hell on anyone who has financial, emotional or social interaction with them. Whether you are a parent, friend, student, teacher, boss, co-worker, employee, patient, counselor, manager or partner, having to be involved with an addict can and will drain you mentally, physically and financially. Having grown up amongst alcoholics, I readily adapted to some of the drinking culture popular in the military and construction industries. It was not until I took a good look around to break away from this kind of life style. I started to note that addictive personality did not stop at boozing. Drugs, gambling and compulsive spending were other activities that brought the same misery with it. Without going into too much detail of lost fortunes, broken homes and crippled health, I will go directly to the source of the problem: the addict themselves.

It takes no genius to figure out the role of alcohol and drugs in street crimes. Alcohol or drugs can incapacitate a victim or make a criminal aggressive or reckless enough to swindle, steal from, assault or injure someone. This is not to be confused with the occasional happy hour drinker or recreational user of drugs. The addict is someone who lives for certain drugs or activities like gambling.

Financial abuse, a soft word for incompetence, lying and theft, often gets directed at those that the addict despises. Addicts will destroy themselves and drag down anyone close by. Most of us know a co-worker who constantly mooches money and favors, but turns ugly towards the same people who help them out.

I heard a saying in the army, "You might trust him with your life, but not your money or your wife." I have known fellow soldiers whom I have worked very closely with and relied on heavily, during training and work. But these same guys I could not trust with money or girl friends. It was often the guys who drank heavily. They might have been at the top of their courses and very high performers during the most visible times, but with booze in hand, they were totally just the opposite.

FINANCIAL ABUSE

Alcoholics and drug addicts can be very extravagant, especially with other people's money. A typical example is the guy who always has to borrow twenty bucks as he is certain to have a "hot date." The situation can never wait. Like a gambler, his big chance to score is now and never later. When you try (and try) to collect, the excuses usually run anywhere from trouble with his or her ex, car payments or so many people owe him money that he can only pay you when those "dead beats" pay up. A favourite excuse is "well, _______owes me twenty, so collect off of him." Another excuse for not paying back is "What? After all of the favors I've done for you? Man, you owe me."

Marriage, family and even a top secret security clearance might mean stability to some people, but it is not the rule. I recall a military guy with both a top secret security clearance and a family, who was in charge of his training course's party fund. At the end of the course, the party fund was empty. Gone.

This goes the same with business. The fraternity brother, army buddy or team mate is always a bad risk if they are a "party-goer." I had an ex-army buddy, who started an entertainment company. If a week passed when he did not brag about his new extravagant lifestyle like $20-a-hole golf games and $200 champagne, I was sure to mark it on my calendar. His company was doing just great, for a while. Then the money ran out, the products stopped selling and trouble started with the securities commission. The stock was worth pennies, partners left and the office closed. No doubt, business is tough. But, I should have clued in to the constant pot smoking, the parties, the over-priced automobile and the domestic problems occurring around that office. One just kind of over-looks some of these behaviors, until it is too late.

Again, the alcoholic or addict must always prove that he is better than someone else. He or she will continually set people up to put them down. Whether it is hanging up the telephone on someone, belittling them in public or physical bullying, it is non-stop.

Here's a typical tactic. The addict will sometimes maneuver a woman to stay over at his place. Whether by keeping her out late, spiking her drink, insisted that they both had too much to drink, etc. Since he did not take advantage of her, he gains trust. Furthermore, he now has her feeling guilty and shamed over sleeping over. He has technically scored points to his own ego by having her over within the first few dates. Now he also has her within his territory, so to speak. He might even brag what a morale giant that he is. This might sound downright weird, but an addict will deliberately put on big displays of their own righteousness. They will rant about other alcoholics and insist that they "don't drink anymore." They constantly remind people of that "fact."

Different Ways to Quit Smoking

With a short quick search over the internet you can find hundreds of stop smoking products and all of them are claiming to be the best but, how can you really find one that really works. The first thing you need to do is to short list some products that you really are convinced of then elaborate your search about these particular products only. If you started to search for all the available ones then you will never end your search at all.

For example, the nicotine patches sold everywhere are claimed to be the best stop smoking products in the market but, let us see how they work and if they are good or not. First of all, a nicotine patch is a nicotine delivery device that disperses nicotine constantly into your body. They say that it is a natural and good way to deliver nicotine without the associated bad effects of tar in cigarettes. A closer look at these patches will let you know that you need to use them for the rest of your life because you are still receiving nicotine from outside instead of letting your body to manufacture it on itself. Nicotine is natural substance found in everyone's nervous system and the body produces it constantly but, when you start smoking, the body stops forming this substance and depend on getting it from the outer source, cigarettes. Quitting smoking and using stop smoking products that contain nicotine like patches will keep your body depending on outer sources for its nicotine. In other words, you stopped getting nicotine from the cigarette and started getting it from the batch. So, at any given time you stop using the batches, you will feel the carving to smoke a cigarette like you quitted yesterday.

The same goes for all the other stop smoking products that contain nicotine like the chewing gum, the electronic cigarettes and all the other nicotine - containing products. You must know that substituting a source of nicotine for another one do not solve the problem but the real solution is using a non - nicotine containing stop smoking products to urge your body to regenerate nicotine once more on its own.

Try quitting smoking and starting exercising so you can find something to keep you busy from thinking about cigarettes or any other forms of tobacco. It is very important to commit to physical exercises in order to forget about your cigarettes.

One of the best quit smoking products in the market right now is the self hypnosis tapes. The best thing about such products is that they provide you with the method to convince your body that you do not need a cigarette. Using such products in combination with exercise is a very good idea because they help you to quit smoking without using another external source of nicotine.

The only thing you need to do is to make sure that you are getting your right stop smoking products from a dependable source so you can really depend on these products and stop your bad smoking habit.

Principles of Quitting Smoking!

Change is not an easy thing to do especially when it comes to getting rid of an addiction, but this does not mean that you should give up. Quitting smoking is a long and difficult process and you should definitely have a clear idea how to go about it in order to be successful.

The first thing is to choose the right method for quitting. Almost all people go for the cold turkey method and fail simply because their addiction to nicotine is way too strong. You can opt for a gradual method to quit smoking. All you need to do is to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke each day and eventually get to zero. This is easier, less stressful and more effective according to scientific studies.

You should think of a nicotine replacement that you can use. It will make the sensation of smoking easier and more effective. You can pick between chewing gum, using stickers and even nasal sprays. All of these work, but they have side effects as well. So, you have to do a bit of research before making a final choice.

You have to have specific reasons why you want to quit smoking. Writing them down and keeping the paper with you all the time will surely motivate you no matter how hard it is for you. You have to devote some time to formulate the reasons, the more personal they are the better. You should also add all the benefits that you will get once you successfully quit.

It is essential that you prepare your home and workplace for the change. You have to get rid of cigarettes as well as of all the lighters and ashtrays. It is a good idea to clean your home and do everything you can to reduce the nicotine odor.

You have to think of adequate replacements for cigarettes. The electronic ones are not a very good idea, but you can get sweet sticks, a simple minty chewing gum or anything that will prevent you from lighting up. It is essential to find out which solution works best for you.

In order to quit smoking effectively you have to deal with the things that make you light up as well. You have to find pleasant ways for relaxation so that you do not need a cigarette to calm down. You might also want to reduce your coffee and alcohol consumption if you tend to accompany these drinks with smoking.

Testimonial of an Actual Smoking Quitter

Yes I did eventually quit smoking - been a nonsmoker for over 25 years now. But just so you know - my will power sucks. I'd tried and failed to quit smoking so many times I was embarrassing myself. At least a dozen times I tried to quit smoking and blew it. Every time. Almost a couple times a year over several year's I'd try to quit smoking (New Years being one of them - of course).

This was back over 25 years ago, from the early 70's to the late 70's. Most of the time I'd last 2 - 3 weeks.

Once I had quit smoking for a couple weeks --- things were tough of course, the urges and cravings, but I was doing ok dealing with them. Naturally, I was a lot more moody than normal, got angry more often and more easily. But I was getting through ok, till one night while I was working, I looked outside the window from the store I was working at to check my car - and it wasn't there. My car had been towed. That was what shoved me over the edge - that time.

Naturally the first thing I did when I found out my car was towed was walk over to a cigarette machine, drop my money in and buy a pack of cigarettes. Like that was going to help right? But there I was smoking again.

There were time's I'd quit and thought "well I'll just smoke one, and that's it" - but of course "one" today, turned into "two" the next. And before I knew it, I was back to a pack and a half a day.

It was always a problem sitting back and drinking a cup of coffee or a beer - I was always so used to having a cigarette in my hand! I'd been smoking a lot longer than I'd been drinking coffee or drinking beer! (Having started smoking in 4th grade.) All I could think about was how uncomfortable it felt!

I was uncomfortable after meals because I was used to settling down into the couch in front of the tv with a cup of coffee and a cigarette! So that was a double whammy! Now I had trouble relaxing after meals - because the cup of coffee was missing something - missing the cigarette in my other hand!

Then there was going to the bar with the guys from the shop. First of all "everybody was smoking"! Then if you're like I was you'd get a beer and play a game of pool! But every time I'd try to quit smoking I was always uncomfortable because I didn't have that cigarette in my hand! My whole life became uncomfortable!

One time I even lasted a full month without a cigarette! I remember that day I blew it like it was yesterday. It was about 7 in the evening, starting to get dark - and I was sitting on a friend's back porch waiting for them to get ready to go out. And I wanted a cigarette.

You can imagine me sitting there arguing with myself - saying (to myself) "I'm an adult - I go to work everyday - I pay my own way - If I want a cigarette I can have a cigarette and nobody can stop me!" It's embarrassing to admit it - but, yes - I talked myself right back into my pack and a half a day smoking habit yet again.

Beware Women, Cigarettes May Harm You More . . .

Studies of twins have revealed significant genetic differences between men and women who smoke who develop lung disease. According to Swedish researchers, women are more susceptible to the consequences of smoking than men.

The team, lead by Professor Magnus Svartengren from the Karolinska Institute, has been looking at the interaction of the environment with the genes of nearly 45,000 twins over 40 years old. The team were interested in twins with chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

Speaking at a meeting of the Biochemical Society held in Loughborough today (5 March, 2009) he said, "We know that only a subset of smokers get chronic lung disease" (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - COPD), "yet non-smokers also get COPD, so there must be genetic factors involved."

Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD which includes bronchitis and emphysema. "We found that heritability accounts for 40% of chronic bronchitis, yet only 14% of those genetic influences are linked to smoking," he said. Not all smokers develop COPD, yet people who have never smoked can also develop COPD. Smokers who develop COPD seem to be genetically more susceptible to the harmful effects of cigarette smoke than smokers who do not develop COPD.

COPD which progressively and irreversibly damages lungs is one of the most challenging diseases in the world, both in terms of treatment and prevention. Currently it is one of the global top five causes of mortality and is predicted to rise. It is also closely associated with other major causes of death such as heart disease.

Of the 45,000 Swedish twins first investigated, 392 twins were tested for lung function. All the twins answered a series of questions about their smoking habits and respiratory symptoms with emphasis on whether a twin was likely to have a lung disease. Those selected for lung function tests had blood and urine samples analysed to identify markers of inflammation that could be linked to problems with other organs, such as heart disease. "Our results show a complex relationship between COPD and inflammation elsewhere in the body. Inflammation could explain the high prevalence of heart and other diseases in patients with COPD," said Professor Svartengren.

"We found sex differences in the impact of genetic factors on lung function. Our preliminary findings also suggest genes play an important role in the development of emphysema. Women seem to be more predisposed to suffer the harmful respiratory consequences of tobacco smoking," said Professor Svartengren.

The reasons why people smoke are complex. Behaviour that leads people to smoke is governed by genetic and environmental factors. However, the genes that influence behaviour are different to the genes that make some people, women in particular, more vulnerable to COPD. "Our twin studies suggest that genetic factors are of importance in individual differences in lung function," said Professor Svartengren.

Professor Svartengren and his team will now carry out further analyses to evaluate factors that explain how the disease discriminates between men and women.

Evidence That Electronic Cigarettes Work

Since the late 1990s, with the advent of so-called electronic cigarette, manufactures have striven to create the best tasting, similar feeling smokeless cigarette. At the forefront, e-cigarettes is one of the premier US brands of electronic cigarette, tailoring a variety of e-cigarette lines to millions of customers.

Electronic cigarettes performs much the same way as does a traditional tobacco cigarette. Not only does the device resemble the look and feel of a cigarette or cigar, it delivers virtually the same pleasure without passing tar and other harmful carcinogens to both the smoker and the environment. The e-cigarette can be smoked just about anywhere their traditional counterparts have been banned, such as restaurants, beaches, the workplace and airplanes.

The non-flammable electronic cigarette is driven by safe, microelectronic technology, featuring a small rechargeable battery fitted in a cigarette-like device, which utilizes unique replaceable cartridges which contain water, propylene glycol (to simulate smoke), nicotine, a scene that emulates tobacco and other safe non-toxic flavorings.

The most encouraging aspect of electronic cigarettes is how the act of inhaling produces the same taste, feel and craving satisfaction traditional smokers are looking for, by triggering a vaporized mist that releases a simulated smoke. Nicotine reaches the lungs and provides its effects in less than ten seconds.

Electronic cigarettes are incredibly easy to use. It's solid construction won't crush or break like a tobacco cigarette. It can be stored in a purse, jacket pocket, glove box or any convenient location.

When you want to use the e-cig, all you need to do is unscrew the indicator light tip at the end of the device, insert a charged battery and screw the tip back on. Then, at the opposite end, screw on your choice of smoke cartridges. Now, you're ready to go.

...It's as easy as lighting up. Within a couple drags, you feel as if you're smoking a regular cigarette. One cartridge will last the equivalent of about two packs (40 cigarettes) of traditional tobacco cigarettes.

Refill cartridges come in a variety of flavors ranging from typical tobacco brands, to menthol as well as fruit flavors. Cartridges also come in a variety of nicotine levels, aiding those who wish to quit smoking to slowly wean themselves off nicotine, in a similar but far more satisfying way than the traditional nicotine patches.

Other upsides of the electronic cigarette are simply financial. An average pack a day smoker will begin to see savings by the 40th day of using the product. Over the course of a year, the savings would amount to over $1000. Never mind the money saved in carpet, drapery and dry cleaning that comes from stale smoke that reeks in the homes and clothes of typical smokers.

If there was one reason, though, that should motivate smokers of traditional tobacco cigars and cigarettes to try the electronic cigarette, its for their health. More and more, cigarette companies use additives in their cigarettes that have been proven to be harmful to the smoking public.

For those most stalwart skeptics, a recent poll discovered that those who have switched to the electronic cigarette, report a 90-95% percent satisfaction rate.

Saturday Lessons on Killing your Addiction this Spring

Consider this:

Already since 1972, over 60million people in the USA alone have successfully quit smoking!

At one stage over 60% of the adult population was addicted to this drug. Today it is 28% and dropping........

Now, isn't this a fair thought......

If all these people can do it (60 MILLION OF THEM!) - and they include EVERY TYPE of person imaginable - surely that is PROOF that IT IS POSSIBLE to successfully give up smoking.

Here's another Fact......

We now know from the latest scientific research, that although nicotine is one of the world's fastest acting drugs --- the actual PHYSICAL withdrawal pangs when you give up ARE SO MILD, YOU WILL HARDLY NOTICE THEM WHEN YOU STOP.

YES, you have read that sentence right!

I know you will want to argue with me on this point, but, first, let me first make the following points.......



The Desire to Smoke

Yes, when you stop smoking you will feel the desire AGAIN and AGAIN to smoke.

We all know that feeling -- 'I must have a cigarette'. But that desire in itself is not bad or painful.


It is just a feeling, a sensation we feel in our body.


However........this is where, for most of us our problems start.....

If we start to fear that 'craving' or try to use 'Willpower' to REPRESS it or FORCE it go away, -- "I wish this feeling would go away" we WILL create pain and tension.

This is what as smokers we have all done in the past.

That 'feeling' of wanting to smoke then becomes painful, annoying and terribly irritating.

Now this is the hard part to realize.......

The pain, the horror does not come from the desire to smoke, but from HOW we deal with this desire, moment-by-moment WHEN we stop.

Can I emphasize this:

You do not have to experience ANY pain or agony when you stop. Yes, when you stop you WILL experience a ...........

• Temporary feeling of loss
  
• A feeling that you are being deprived of something
  
• A feeling of emptiness
  
• A feeling that you will never be able to enjoy yourself again.
  
• A feeling that you must have a cigarette

These feelings, although very real in themselves are not inherently bad or painful. What is important is how you deal with these feelings when you stop.

The key part of giving up smoking naturally is learning how to deal with these cravings when you stop.


Conflict

Right now, you don't want to give up smoking because you are TERRIFIED of how you will FEEL when you can't smoke.

Let's be honest.

You smoke now because you enjoy it.

Or -- to be more accurate: You smoke now because you have conditioned yourself to enjoy it.

It is important that we are honest with ourselves here.

In fact, even the 'THOUGHT', the mere 'thought' of not been able to smoke probably fills you with utter dread now.

But there is another undeniable fact: This 'pleasure' is killing you.
Again we must be brutally honest here. Everyday, you are systemically destroying your health.

This is the conflict all smokers face.

On the one hand, smoking is killing you and you desperately want to stop.....

..And yet on the other hand, you don't really want to stop because you believe you really enjoy it.

Yet, one other truth cannot be denied and this applies to every smoker........

We are terrified of how we will F-E-E-L when we can't smoke. We are convinced it will be unbearable and impossible.

The Fight on E-Cigs Moves to California . . .

In 2009, Senator Corbett from California attempted to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in California with SB400. Likely for smokers switched e-smokers, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed that Bill and noting,

While I support restricting access of electronic cigarettes to children under the age of 18, I cannot sign a measure that also declares them a federally regulated drug when the matter is currently being decided through pending litigation.

The classification of e-cigarettes is still being decided through pending litigation. It is unclear what Senator Corbett thinks has changed. However we can not rely on the Governor once again vetoing this new Bill. All Californian’s need to act. Senate Bill 882 states,

This bill would authorize action to halt the sale, distribution,
or offering for sale of electronic cigarettes that have not been
approved or cleared by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

If you live in California and use an electronic cigarette or know someone who does or don’t believe that the government should protect the tobacco cigarette market by limiting competition, please contact your Senator by visiting the California State Senate website and clicking “Your Senator” on the left side of the page. We recommend contacting your senator via phone, email, and snail mail if possible.

You may also wish to contact Governor Schwarzenegger and let him know about your experience with electronic cigarettes.

April Fool's! But Delaying Quittin Smoking is NO Joke!

Procrastination. I know it well. From taxes to yard work to
filing papers--you name it, I'm the expert procrastinator. I can
put off doing anything, with style and ease. I file tax return
extensions at 11:59 PM on April 15 without breaking a sweat.

Am I proud of this? Well, admittedly, sometimes yes. I pat
myself on the back and say "I have the amazing ability to get
things done at the last minute."

Do I usually end up regretting my procrastination? Almost
always. So I've had to learn ways to get things done now, on
time. I'm still learning and always will be. Procrastination is
a persistent thief!

Procrastination is an expensive way to spend your life. Waiting
until the last minute can even cost you your life. And when you
"spend" your life mired in procrastination, you don't truly
live. You are perpetually putting off living.

Focusing on quitting smoking, how many times have you said "I'm
not ready to quit," or "I'll quit tomorrow," or "I'll quit when
I'm not under so much stress"? What are you waiting for?

THE COSTS OF PROCRASTINATION

If you fail to file your taxes on time, you'll pay penalties and
interest. If you fail to quit smoking, you'll eventually pay
with your life.

Putting off almost anything will cost you more tomorrow than it
will today. I firmly believe that one of the main costs of
procrastination is the mental anguish you experience when you
know you have something you really should be doing. But most
procrastination also comes with a direct cost, whether it be
financial or health-related or otherwise.

You should take careful note of the cost of waiting "until
later" to quit smoking. Calculate how much cigarettes cost you
every day, month and year. Calculate how much of your life goes
up in smoke with each cigarette. Estimates range from three to
15 minutes of your life are lost for every single cigarette you
smoke. That's one to five hours per pack! Is the temporary
satisfaction (fix) worth that much to you? Plus smoking causes
countless fires, wastes billions of dollars in "smoking break"
time and costs billions of dollars for medical care. You pay for
this too!

CAUSES OF PROCRASTINATION

So, what causes procrastination? You do, simply put. But why?
Why do you procrastinate? Why do you put off doing something
that is beneficial to you?

Life and motivation and psychology are complex and sometimes not
rational.

What causes me to put off doing my taxes? I hate dealing with
forms and complicated tax laws and hundreds of difficult
decisions and paperwork and financial information. In my mind
these are all good reasons to "do it later." (But I bet you
never saw a Nike ad that said, "Just do it later.")

There are numerous causes and explanations for procrastination,
including, but not limited to:

1. Fear of failure
2. Fear of success
3. Fear of the unknown
4. Lack of interest or motivation
5. Lack of information
6. Too much information
7. Indecision
8. Not knowing where to start
9. Too busy
10. Laziness

Whatever the supposed cause may be, most times they are simply
excuses for waiting until later to do something that needs doing
now. What's your excuse for not quitting today?