Sometimes people may think they need to feel 100% motivated to set a date to stop smoking. But if you think about it, you are likely to find a number of things that you’ve accomplished without being 100% motivated. It only takes 51% to tip the scale in favor of stopping smoking and then each day of success can build more motivation and determination. If you wait until there is a ‘strong urge to quit’, that day might never come. It is normal to procrastinate, but you can pick a stop date that is practical and realistic without being 100% motivated.
The day you pick should make sense to you. For example, a person may believe they will be strongly tempted to smoke on their vacation, and therefore will set a stop date during the week after their vacation. Another may think it is better to stop smoking on vacation because they will be less stressed. A person who might say, “I tend to smoke more on work days, so my stop date will be on a weekend with my family”. Another might say, “I tend to smoke more at home on the weekends, and it’s very inconvenient to smoke on a work day” choosing the beginning of a work week may be better.
Set the date that feels right for you, but try not to put it off too long. It’s okay to give stopping a try without being 100% sure.
