How to Deal with Temptation

Be aware of potential temptations. Temptation is often related to self-control, and situations that appeal to you often revolve around the conflict between your immediate desired gratification and your own long-term goals. ^[2] For example, if you’re losing weight, you might crave a delicious piece of cheesecake that’s beckoning you from the store’s glass case. The desire for instant gratification will make you give in to temptation and eat that piece of the pie. However, giving up will get in the way of your long-term goal of becoming healthier by staying away from high-sugar foods.

• As another example, if you’re in a relationship, you should be aware of who might tempt you to cheat on your partner. They could be a surprise ex, a coworker, or someone you interact with in private.
• However, the temptation is not always obvious. For example, say you are a salesperson and want to leave work early on Friday noon several times a month. Leaving a few times early isn’t a big deal, but it can be a factor in making your boss think you’re irresponsible, and this will affect your long-term goals, such as rewards. and promotion. ^[3]

Avoid temptation. Make it easier to deal with temptation by staying away from the temptation. For example, if you are trying to stop smoking, you should stay away from places where you normally smoke. You can even avoid meeting people who regularly smoke with you.

• If you feel tempted to drink, the annual company party at the bar will challenge your resolve. You should beware of potential temptations and avoid them whenever possible. This way, you won’t let your guard down and will always be ready to deal with temptation. ^[4]
• If you cannot completely separate yourself from a situation or individual, you should try to control the situation so that it is difficult for you to act on your own temptations. For example, if you are tempted to secretly have sex with a friend, you might avoid being alone with that person. If you need to meet the person, you should go with a group of people. ^[5]

Be honest. When you reject an element or someone that is tempting you, don’t feel guilty or need to lie. Be honest about why you say no. This will strengthen your resolve for the future, and may even help reduce temptation.

• For example, if you feel tempted by your desire to cheat on your lover and the person you’re interested in asks you out, flatly decline that person by saying that you already have a lover. Once the person knows this, he/she will be less likely to flirt with you in the future.

Visualize that you are resisting temptation. In this approach, you’ll imagine yourself admitting or tapping into the temptation before you put it down and walk away. Visualize this experience in as much detail as possible. For example, if you try to stay away from sweets, imagine that you are holding a chocolate bar. Imagine that you are smelling it, touching it, and putting it down.

• Once you’ve trained enough, you can even resist temptation intentionally. You can go to the store and face your own temptation. ^[6] However, this technique is not effective with addictions, such as drug or alcohol addiction. Visualizing yourself giving in or being exposed to a stimulus can form a trigger and make resisting temptation more difficult.

Think about the long-term consequences. It’s easy to think about the instant gratification you feel when you crave something. Take a minute to think about the long-term consequences before giving in to temptation. In some cases, such as cheating on a partner, the long-term consequences are often very large and severe. You will hurt the person you love, cause that person to lose trust in you, and you may even ruin your romantic relationship. However, we’re always surrounded by what researchers call “epsilon-cost temptations,” or little things that seem like they don’t have consequences on their own. will accumulate gradually and cause great consequences. ^[7] People often have a hard time rejecting these temptations because they seem so petty.

• For example, smoking a cigarette or eating a piece of cheesecake is unlikely to have major immediate and long-term negative consequences. However, smoking one cigarette makes you want to smoke more cigarettes, and increases the risk of overall negative consequences. And even a single cigarette can do immediate damage to the body and increase the risk of diseases like cancer. ^[8]
• Try to view your actions in a broader context. A small piece of cheesecake won’t hurt you, but if you’re trying to avoid sugar to become healthier, eating that crumb will prevent you from reaching your long-term goals. Over time, if you continue to give in to temptation, excess calories will also accumulate in your body. Thinking in this way, rather than on a separate basis, can help you improve self-control. ^[9]
• You may also find that visualizing the long-term consequences helps you build your own resistance. For example, if you want to smoke, you can picture yourself as a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy. Imagine how bad you feel, the cost of treatment, and how painful your family is. ^[10]

Distract yourself. ^[11] Sometimes, holding yourself back from temptation makes it hard to resist. Instead, research has shown that distracting yourself by doing something fun or focusing your mind can help you resist temptation. ^[12] You can meditate, do yoga, go for a run, or catch up with friends. Whichever method you choose, you should put your whole heart into it. ^[13]

• You can also do things that help you focus on those in need. You should focus your attention on the people who appreciate you instead of on yourself. This method will help you stop thinking about temptation.
• Establishing a specific “distraction plan” is a good idea. For example, you might tell yourself that if you feel the urge to smoke a cigarette, you’ll get up and go for a jog. This act will act as a distraction and also help improve your health.

Don’t allow yourself to choose. If you’re tempted by something, don’t give yourself the choice to give in or stay away from it. If you remove the possibility of choice from the situation, you will have to reject everything that tempts you.

• For example, if you feel tempted to cheat on your partner, you should avoid flirting with the coworker you’re interested in. Since you know you don’t want to cheat on the person you love, don’t act like you’re interested in that person. ^[14]
• As another example, if you find it difficult to stick to your doctor’s low-sugar eating plan, you might decline an invitation to a party that will likely be filled with sweets and high-calorie foods. However, this will also limit your ability to communicate and interact with others, so you should think about whether this is the way you really want to do it.