How do they get to be so good?
Many kids dream of making it to the Big Leagues, but few get there. Did they lack skill, confidence, equipment (tools), desire, opportunity or practice/preparation? It’s probably a combination of these things. But it wasn’t left to chance alone.
Hitting a major league pitch may be the hardest skill in sports. So how, then, are so many professional ball players able to do it? Did they sit around and wait for it to get easier? Or did they get out and practice? I bet they did the work. You won’t find a professional athlete anywhere who won’t agree that practice, preparation and hard work were critical to their success.
What does this have to do with quitting smoking?
Smokers tell me that quitting is the most difficult thing they have ever had to do. That’s a big statement! There aren’t many heavy tobacco users who hit a home run quitting with their first “at bat.” Nicotine is considered the most powerful addiction, so it’s understandable that it will require some practice to get it right. It will also require preparation.
How well do you think a baseball player will perform on no sleep or on a Vodka & Dorito diet? Preparation (a good nights’ sleep and proper nutrition) will have a significant effect on the outcome. Practice and preparation work together to deliver a successful outcome. This is also the case with quitting smoking (or chewing, vaping, and cigars).
Can’t I just wait for an easier way to do it?
Will hitting a pitch get easier if you just wait? Quit the opposite. Advancements in research, training techniques and nutrition will allow pitchers to continually improve, making it even more difficult for batters to connect. Waiting around for a better bat (tool) will unlikely improve the batting average, either.
Quitting smoking is also getting harder because tobacco companies work very hard to make their nicotine products more and more addictive. Products are designed to reach your cells faster and with bigger hits of nicotine. Waiting for quitting to get easier or for a better drug (tool) to help you quit is not a smart strategy.
Don’t look for quitting to get easier. Look to get better at quitting.
That means understanding the limitations of your tools (Prescription drugs, Nicotine Replacement Therapies, E-cigarettes, Hypnosis and yes-laser therapy) and the importance of planning and preparation for using them.
Planning and preparation include creating a personal, customized plan for your quit; something that a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) at Alpha Lifestyle Center can help you with. Most other approaches don’t include the proven support of a quit coach/CTTS. In fact, very few hospital and community-based programs even have such a specialist on staff.
The greatest hitters in the world have a batting coach, so doesn’t it make sense to tackle quitting smoking by using a quit coach to guide your quit and help you prepare for such a big event? Self-quit success rates are only 2-4%. Don’t step up to the plate unprepared. Players wouldn’t make the team if batting only .020-.040. The team and resources at Alpha Lifestyle Center for Nicotine Addiction understand the importance of coaching and preparation.
Need help with quitting?
Alpha Lifestyle Center for Nicotine Addiction has a long history of helping individuals break a dependency on nicotine products. And that help doesn’t start/end with our laser stop smoking treatment.
Spend some time reading our Blog Posts or watching our YouTube videos. You can also find great information on our Facebook Page. These resources are available to you at no cost and with no expectation of using our program.
If you are preparing for a quit and think our approach might be right for you, you can call us at 248-594-1303 and speak with a Tobacco Treatment Specialist who can help you decide.
We are working to be a premier resource in the field of tobacco use and dependency. If you have found some of our resources helpful, please like, comment or share.
Go easy on yourself if you’ve had some swings and misses with quitting smoking. It’s all part of the game.
Not quite ready to quit?
Alpha Lifestyle Center for Nicotine Addiction can help you get there. “E’s Into Quitting” is a longer-term, more intensive coaching/preparation program that was developed specifically for fearful, discouraged and/or highly addicted tobacco users. Access to this program is available only through a free webinar. Click here to watch now!
p.s. We didn’t mean to pic on Jim Leyland with this post, but when discussing MLB and tobacco use, it’s just what came to mind.
