The Illusion Of Willpower That is why people who use will-power alone to stop find it so HARD. They try to stop smoking, but because they still genuinely believe that smoking is enjoyable and in some strange way essential to their happiness, they feel they are making a sacrifice. They  feel they are depriving themselves of this 'pleasure'. Although this is an illusion, it is a powerful illusion and it is why people who use willpower alone sooner or later find themselves back smoking. Remember our past example.  It could be at a party or at a bad moment during the day or during a particular stressful occasion.  And because they still believe the old lie that smoking can magically produce pleasurable feelings in them, after a little battle (their desire to feel better always overcomes the desire not to smoke) they succumb to the old addiction..........and it takes only ONE CIGARETTE to start the whole chain off again. To smoke or not to smoke?   Some students, at this stage still believe that this is not an extremely important part of the course.  "OK", they reason ,"it may play a part but still the main thing is to stop and to do everything in my will to stop." Although it is important that we want to stop smoking and we use our self-discipline not to smoke another cigarette when we finally decide to stop, it is vitally important that you understand this part of the course.   THE POWER OF A PLACEBO Most of you are probably aware of the placebo effect in medical science. People who are told a drug will have a certain effect on them will, in most cases experience that effect even if they are given a pill with no active properties.  Again most of us will find this hard to believe - yet it is a recognized scientific reality in modern medicine. Measuring the 'placebo effect' in medicine   Again, most of us will find this hard to believe - yet it is a recognized scientific reality in modern medicine. Norman Cousins, the famous American researcher has even gone as far as to say: 'Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery is." Listen to what Dr. Andrew Weil, who has conducted a number of important studies in this field has concluded: "The experience of drug users correspond almost exactly to their expectations. You can lead a person given a dose of amphetamine to feel sedated or a person given a barbiturate to feel stimulated. The 'magic' of drugs resides within the mind of the user, not in the drugs." In other words, the power lies not alone in the drug but to a large extent in what the person really believes the drug will do for him. In essence, if you genuinely believe that giving up smoking can be easy and you can do it - you will. Likewise, if you listen to society's out-of-date and ill-informed opinion about smoking and genuinely believe that it will be extremely difficult and tedious -then you will make things difficult for yourself. As Emile Coue, the famous French physician once said: "Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so".     In fact, many centuries ago Virgil, the famous philosopher was obviously aware of this fundamental law of psychology when he simply said:  'They can because they believe they can'.   CHANGING BELIEFS So now that we are beginning to catch a glimpse of how important our deepest-held beliefs are in determining our experiences, how can we go about changing them. The first thing to realize is that beliefs are not immutable laws or facts engraved in stone.  If you have negative belief system about a person, addiction or experience, you can change it as easily as you can, say, change your clothing. It is important to realize that beliefs systems are no more immutable than the length of your hair, your affection for a particular kind of music or your choice of car, for example.   KEY IDEA It is as easy to change a belief as it is to change your clothing.     Many people believe that it will take a long time to change their old deeply-held beliefs but this too is....... only a belief. The important thing is to get it clear in your mind that if you don't like your beliefs - you can change them - and change them easily.   An Exercise   This is a simple exercise for uncovering what you really believe about smoking. Sit with a stack of several sheets of paper. Choose a quiet room with no distractions. Now place the tip of your pen on the first sheet of paper and promise that you will not lift your pen for five minutes. Begin to write the sentence 'I need to smoke because....................... and finish it anyway you want. Not lifting your pen, write the same sentence again, 'I need to smoke because..................' and again let any ending that comes to mind be put on the paper   As you are doing this, take slow measured breaths in and out without pausing in between.  This is called sometimes called circular breathing, in which inhale and exhale are connected. Since ancient times this deliberate sort of breathing has been considered a way to bypass the inhibitions of the conscious mind. As you perform the circular breathing, in and out without pausing, keep finishing the sentence, 'I need to smoke because........' over and over again without lifting pen from paper. Once you liberate yourself to write down what you really believe about why you need to smoke you may find it difficult to stop. If you are doing this exercise freely, letting your thoughts simply unravel without trying to control them or judge them you will find many unanticipated ideas and unconscious beliefs rising to the surface. Let all emerge, but always return to your breathing and don't lift pen from paper until you are done. One word of caution: if you begin to feel too uncomfortable, stop. At the end of the exercise it is also a good idea to lie down and rest, allowing yourself to regain your normal equilibrium. Try to perform this exercise for the following beliefs that are linked to smoking. Or if you prefer, pick the ones that you feel most resistance to. 1. It is very hard to give up smoking......... 2. You will suffer terribly when you stop.............. 3. You will need tons of willpower to succeed............... 4.When you stop you will feel terrible - and there is nothing you can do about this - but just suffer and hope it goes away............. 5.Very few people can successfully give up smoking. Most people will eventually fail.............. 6. Giving up will be a terrible sacrifice. Life will never be the same or as enjoyable again............... 7.You will never ever again be really able to enjoy your lunch breaks or social occasions ............ 8.It is just not possible to give up smoking and enjoy it............   Please take your time.  Go through each belief.  Sense - feel - how much power each belief has for you. Be patient. Most of us have no idea how deeply embedded these beliefs are. The first step towards changing a belief is to becoming AWARE of it. Do not criticize or judge yourself for having these beliefs.  Please be patient and honest with yourself. Admit to yourself what you really believe no matter how bad or discouraging it may seem to be, at first.