If at First You Don't Succeed...
They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. There's also more than one
way to break a habit.
Some people try to cut ties all at once. They decide, usually after hitting the
bottom, that the time for change has come. They wake up the next day feeling
powerful and renewed. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
I remember a roommate back in college that wasn't the healthiest eater (that's
putting it lightly). After years of following the same patterns, though, he
reversed direction. It happened in one day, after one decision. He used a lot
of motivation tips that you'll find throughout the site, but the turning point
took minutes to start and finish.
There is a different route. Some people move in stages, slowly cutting down
whatever it is they're trying to get away from: smoking less each day, eating
less each night, losing their tempers or taking a negative attitude half as
often.
Here's the important part of the article. If you tried method A and failed,
try method B and vice versa. I know it sounds simplistic, but the truth is that
most people will choose one or the other route without giving a second thought
to tweaking their strategy.
They'll try to quit something all at once, and, when it doesn't work, they give
up. Others cut down slowly but are never able to completely sever the cord, so
they give up. One failure doesn't mean it's impossible. It could simply be a
matter of the right person using the wrong approach.
The next time you want to break a bad habit, remember that there is more than
one line of attack. If cold turkey doesn't work, or if slow and steady
backfires, regroup and try the other route.
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