We are simply told "just stop". Stop smoking that is. If only it were that easy right? But the fact of the matter is that both psychological changes and psychological issues play a role in any program to stop smoking. It is not even easy for the most determined of people to flip a switch and stop smoking.

However, the commitment to quit has to be part of any program. On average, only 6% will be successful in quitting during their first attempt. Finding the willpower to make the decision a permanent thing is the key to success.

We all make small choices in any area of life. However, the big choices are rarely a matter of snapping the mental fingers and opting for a course of action. More thought and effort than that is needed. It is those twin helpers that are the link between willpower and achievement.

One of the major factors as to why people smoke is stress. And we all know that stress keeps on coming year after year. Something happens in our lives and we feel stress, therefore reaching for a cigarette to restore calm.

It is possible to interrupt that journey at several points along that moving train of events.

Begin slowly. Search for those times when reaching for a cigarette is just down to habit. The first thing you do in the morning is reach for a cigarette. If this is the case, then put them out of the way and exert willpower so as not to get them.

Delay your after dinner cigarette for a few minutes more to begin with and then longer and longer. It is these small victories that will reduce the quantity of cigarettes that you smoke every day and strengthen your willpower.

As your control over impulses is better gained, your self-confidence will grow. You will feel in control. This will reinforce the feeling of willpower, and you can direct events rather than them directing you.

The next thing to look at is the long term plan. Select a day to stop smoking. Estimate what date you will run out of cigarettes. Remind yourself of the high price of cigarettes, not only in dollars, but also health wise, and prevent yourself from buying anymore.

The first two weeks will be hard, which will make the largest demands on your willpower. The cravings will also be at their strongest during this time. The chemical changes that take place in your body will adjust to lower levels of dopamine, therefore flushing smoke ingredient-created compounds out of your body which will create an urge to resume.

Think of the long term consequences in order to help yourself. Keep photos of diseased lungs around the house and remember the times when you were short of breath when walking up a hill. Assist your willpower in every way possible.

Sticking to the plan for life is what follows next. This is the really hard part. Willpower not only selects an action today, but directs your life towards a better horizon.