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Surprising Science

Willpower Myth & Quitting Smoking

When it comes to changing long-standing habits, such as cigarette smoking, why not make changing old, unproductive behaviors as easy and pain-free as possible?

Dr. Daniel Seidman says men fall too easily into the ‘willpower’ trap, and ignore available help at their peril. “When it comes to changing long-standing habits, such as cigarette smoking, for instance, I tell people they don’t get extra points for suffering. Why not make changing old, unproductive behaviors as easy and pain-free as possible? In the end, those who are by nature self-reliant often make the best use of help when it is offered. They are also able to move on quickly if the help being offered is unproductive.”


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