Are you frustrated with smoking? You enjoy it, but know you need to stop for your health and those around you. You're tired of the expense and you're tired of the smell in your clothes and hair. You're fed up with the negative comments from friends and family. All of these things are good reasons to stop smoking, but there are several factors that will determine if you are able to quit smoking for good. In this article, we will cover these factors that will help you become tobacco-free for the rest of your life.

Based on evidence of research treatments and counseling, it is possible for you to quit smoking without the urge to ever smoke again, but there are five determining factors that will help you do this. They are:

1. You must have the desire to give up your habit.

2. You must have the confidence to know that you can do it.

3. Do you know how to fight off the urge to smoke another cigarette?

4. Do you know the triggers that cause you to smoke?

5. Am I truly ready to quit?

Desire to Give Up Your Habit

Desire and motivation are vitally important to being able to quit smoking. If you want to successfully quit smoking, you must have the desire and motivation to quit and this desire must be strong. Smoking is an addiction and can't be overcome unless you have a compelling reason to do so. Most people fail when trying to quit because their reason just isn't that important to them. You must choose a reason that means something to you.

Confidence

A compelling reason to stop smoking is vitally important, but the second factor is also important – confidence. Before you quit smoking, you must have the confidence in yourself that you can achieve this goal. You have to clear your mind of all negative thoughts about previous failures when you tried to quit smoking or even failures when you had set other goals. You must convince yourself before you start, that this time is different. This time you can and will succeed.

Fighting Off Urges to Smoke

Because smoking is such a strong addiction, you must know techniques to fight off the urge to light up. Before you start your stop smoking program, know ahead of time that these urges will hit you and plan what you are going to do to fight off that urge when it hits. Being able to fight off the urge to light up goes hand in hand with the next important item in being able to quit smoking which is knowing what triggers you to smoke.

Know Your Triggers

Many times, there are triggers that cause you to smoke your next cigarette. Just like compulsive eaters that eat whether they're hungry or not, many smokers light up whether their body is telling them they need to. What are your triggers? It could be stress. It could be boredom or being in certain places or with certain people. It could be that you just need to have something to do with your hands. Know these triggers and how to stop them when they occur.

Are You Really Ready to Quit?

The final determining factor in quitting smoking is – are you truly ready to quit. You need to examine yourself and decide if this is something you really and truly want, just for yourself and not anyone or any other reason. Only when the desire comes from within you, will you be able to quit forever.

Sit down and look at each of these determining factors. Go through them one-by-one and make sure you can accomplish each one before you begin your program to stop smoking. When you are truly ready, use these tips to successfully quit smoking forever.

Jason Ladock

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