Forcing, renouncing and avoiding, do not work. At least not in the long term.
The alternative? Truth.
By understanding, accepting, seeing the cost and the benefit, clearly.
Yes, we get hungry. But when we try the Broccoli test, we realize most of our hunger is emotional hunger. it is an excuse to eat. And then, you get to see that the cost of health is not worth the short-term pleasure. You allow desire to wash through you, get back to present, and make a decision.
This goes for sleeping early, smoking, gaming, or saving.
Of course, you can force your way to sleep early. You can expand effort. And more effort again, tomorrow. Until… it runs out. And you find yourself watching another episode of TV.
The other way is to know that you really want it in the short term. But in the long-term, it’s not worth it. Pause for 3 minutes. Then decide.
The desire comes back. But this time, you welcome it, accept it and it goes away, in a second.
You can self-improve your way through it, or you can understand it.
Your choice.
