I make a proposal and say, "hey mate, give me 100 USD now and I will give you 400 USD next year today".
Assume that I am all trustworthy, you are 100% sure that I keep my promise and therefore you are 100% sure you will get your money back next year as 4x...
Rationally, you make a calculation.
What is the value of 400 USD of "next year" in "today" for you.
There is a mathematical way to calculate it depending on the interest rate (or IRR in technical words ) for your investment.
Motivation works the same way.
For smoking example;
- You know that it is harming you
- You know that sooner- or later you will have serious problems
and you still can not quit.
What your brain does is, taking the risk of the future problem, taking the "net present value" of the problem and converting the value to today.
Then your brain compares this negative value to the pleasure-or-relief that you are expecting from smoking today.
The pyschological interest rate is determined exactly by what kind of a person you are, worried, laid-back etc..
If (current pleasure > net present value of future harm) then you continue to smoke until this equation is true.
Making this equation false is possible :
1- Time of damage is so soon ( worst case )
2-You become a more worried person ( i don't know if this trait can change... )
3-The future risk is bigger ( It is really big but perception is important )
4-The pleasure of smoking is less ( this is applied by bannig cigarettes, makin them more expensive etc...)
I do confess none of above worked for me :(
I hope i can find a solution before item 1.
Stay healthy and happy.
FD
It is hard! These calculations did not work for me to quit for so many years - precisely because the pleasure of today superceded any perceived benefits in my 70's.
I made a decision - and took the time to live it - I hid inside my house like a hermit for just over a week. I hardly left the bedroom, angry with all things, but a decision was made.
It was very hard to take the time and mental energy to combat this addiction, and occasionally, very occasionally, I will still see a smoker smoking out of the corner of my eye - I think... BUT NO! - I remember all of the suffering it caused me to leave it.
Good luck to you FireDream!
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Hard indeed...I am trying to store mental energy inside to have enough power. The good part is I don't suffer much yet...the worst part is I don't suffer much yet...
Thanks.
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