Strengthen Your Motivation

“A deep commitment to the process of quitting is the single most important characteristic of smokers who successfully quit.”​—“Stop Smoking Now!”

SIMPLY put, if you want to stop smoking, you should, at the very least, have a strong motivation to do so. How can you strengthen your motivation? For one thing, consider how much better off you will be if you quit smoking.

You will save money. A pack-a-day habit can cost thousands of dollars a year. “I never realized how much money I wasted on tobacco.”​—Gyanu, Nepal.

You should get more joy out of life. “My life started when I gave up smoking, and it just gets better and better.” (Regina, South Africa) When people stop smoking, their senses of taste and smell improve markedly, and they usually have more energy and an improved physical appearance.

Your health may improve. “Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages.”​—The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

You will boost your self-confidence. “I quit smoking because I did not want tobacco to be my master. I wanted to be master of my own body.”​—Henning, Denmark.

Your family and friends will benefit. “Smoking . . . hurts the health of those around you. . . . Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung cancer and heart disease.”​—American Cancer Society.

You will please your Creator. “Beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) “Present your bodies . . . holy, acceptable to God.”​—Romans 12:1.

“Once I understood that God disapproves of things that defile the body, I decided to quit smoking.”​—Sylvia, Spain.

Often, though, motivation alone is not enough. We may also need the help of others, including family and friends. What can they do?