Sapper's Intro

[Jlud007]

My philosphy by the way is this.

I track my quit in hours... at least to myself I do. Hours build faster than days or weeks, and right now I need tangible results of my efforts. I need to see progress happening quickly or I will lose my will. Hours are also the fundamental units involved in how we measure success or excellence: a fine race car will exceed 180 miles per HOUR. A hard working man (or woman) will put in a 40 HOUR work week. Internationally renowned experts in science put in thousands upon thousands of HOURS into their field of study.

I read in a book titled "Outliers" that to become an expert at something you must put in over 10,000 hours at it. Putting in 10,000 hours at a skill, sport, technology, etc is hard, because nobody can actually work a full 24 hours per day at that task. So, 10,000 hours takes years to achieve. But with quitting tobacco, 10,000 hours accumulates quickly, because every single hour of your life builds toward that goal. I've already logged almost 172 hours toward my quitting effort. 1000 hours will be achieved before this summer. By this summer, I'll be 1/10th of the way to being an expert quitter.

In 417 days, (or 1 year, 1 month, and 3 weeks), I'll have achieved "internationally recognized expert" status at quitting tobacco.

This is what motivates me. To build hours and become a legend.

I'll play the devil's advocate just a bit here Sapper. Don't try to reinvent the wheel, it never works around here. I'm not saying that keeping an "hourly" tab on your fight is a bad thing early on but that having any "goal" or "finish line" in mind is a bad mindset at any stage.

Just look at Philip Seymour Hoffman just last week, he slipped back into active addiction and it killed him.

There is no finish line, there is no expert level. There is only the quit today....and the right now. We are recovering nicotine addicts, not just guys quitting dip. If you need anything, i'm only a PM away.

Quit on brother!

[Sap]

My philosphy by the way is this.

I track my quit in hours... at least to myself I do. Hours build faster than days or weeks, and right now I need tangible results of my efforts. I need to see progress happening quickly or I will lose my will. Hours are also the fundamental units involved in how we measure success or excellence: a fine race car will exceed 180 miles per HOUR. A hard working man (or woman) will put in a 40 HOUR work week. Internationally renowned experts in science put in thousands upon thousands of HOURS into their field of study.

I read in a book titled "Outliers" that to become an expert at something you must put in over 10,000 hours at it. Putting in 10,000 hours at a skill, sport, technology, etc is hard, because nobody can actually work a full 24 hours per day at that task. So, 10,000 hours takes years to achieve. But with quitting tobacco, 10,000 hours accumulates quickly, because every single hour of your life builds toward that goal. I've already logged almost 172 hours toward my quitting effort. 1000 hours will be achieved before this summer. By this summer, I'll be 1/10th of the way to being an expert quitter.

In 417 days, (or 1 year, 1 month, and 3 weeks), I'll have achieved "internationally recognized expert" status at quitting tobacco.

This is what motivates me. To build hours and become a legend.

[brettlees]

I've read through this website a good deal.  I'm making it through and I'm pretty proud of myself for what I've done so far.  I hit the 168 hour mark (exactly 7 days) this morning at 7:30) and am now working on Day 8.  It's been at least 4 years since I've gone longer than about 12 hours without a dip.  Most of the cravings are manageable now.  Day 2 was the absolute worst.  But at least once a day I'm hit with a craving that I don't think I can get through.  I actually stopped myself at the cash register this weekend, but in the end, I haven't caved yet.

I know that the worst is behind me, now it's a matter of just pushing on.  The thing that is keeping me motivated is that I simply don't want to be dependent on something that costs more for me each month than my car payment and will kill me if I don't quit.

Right on!

Check your Inbox (1)

Keep pushing Sapper you're doing it! Reaching out here is going to help more, too. I like that you are already hating the poison and the poison pushers. That can carry you a long way. Each painful crave, realize the poison did that and each minute you get through is another step towards freedom.

Keep reading here- other quitters stories will show you a lot of your own quit too. Educate youself on the evil of the addiction so you can understand what a great battle we are all fighting with you. And keep building out a network of accountability and support- make friends, get numbers, of people in your quit class and at other levels.

PM me for another number if you want - I'm always glad to help another person fight the nicbitch and UST!

[AppleJack]

I've read through this website a good deal. I'm making it through and I'm pretty proud of myself for what I've done so far. I hit the 168 hour mark (exactly 7 days) this morning at 7:30) and am now working on Day 8. It's been at least 4 years since I've gone longer than about 12 hours without a dip. Most of the cravings are manageable now. Day 2 was the absolute worst. But at least once a day I'm hit with a craving that I don't think I can get through. I actually stopped myself at the cash register this weekend, but in the end, I haven't caved yet.

I know that the worst is behind me, now it's a matter of just pushing on. The thing that is keeping me motivated is that I simply don't want to be dependent on something that costs more for me each month than my car payment and will kill me if I don't quit.

Right on!

Check your Inbox (1)

[Sap]

I've read through this website a good deal. I'm making it through and I'm pretty proud of myself for what I've done so far. I hit the 168 hour mark (exactly 7 days) this morning at 7:30) and am now working on Day 8. It's been at least 4 years since I've gone longer than about 12 hours without a dip. Most of the cravings are manageable now. Day 2 was the absolute worst. But at least once a day I'm hit with a craving that I don't think I can get through. I actually stopped myself at the cash register this weekend, but in the end, I haven't caved yet.

I know that the worst is behind me, now it's a matter of just pushing on. The thing that is keeping me motivated is that I simply don't want to be dependent on something that costs more for me each month than my car payment and will kill me if I don't quit.

[AppleJack]

Yeah, I know it will go away, but it is extremely tough. I've been dipping and / or smoking (but mostly dipping) for the last 15 years. There have been times when I haven't done either, maybe 6 months to a year here and there. Times when I've done both (combat deployments) and times when I've just done one or the other. For the last 4 years, it's been dip exclusively, and at its most egregious.

For the first 10 years, my consumption was never more than half a can a day (or a pack a day). Over the last 5 years it's gone up. 8 days ago, when I quit, the last time I bought a roll (5 pack) of dip was on Firday evening (Jan 31st), and by Sunday night (FEB 2), I had dipped all 5 cans. I had made the plan to quit early in JAN but just didn't do it until after that weekend when I literally spit out $25 of my hard earned cash in two days.

We get it man. We really do.

I chewed for 25 years and was just plowing through 2 to 2 1/2 cans a day the last 10 years. I dropped it cold turkey. No fake... nothing... 300 days ago. If I can do it you can do it! There are lots of resources for you to cope. Herbal dips, seeds, candies, excercise... whatever it takes to keep nicotine out of your system. In 72 hrs... that poison is gone from your body. After that you fight with your own head... that can be the toughest. You get yourself some numbers of other quitters and get involved in your group. Become a leader... make yourself accountable on an epic level. It works bro. Trust me...

[lovethelip]

Quitting, I mean, not this website.  This website is about the only thing in my life right at this moment that doesn't suck.  Everything else totally sucks.  Yes, it is annoying and horrible and completely idiotic.  It all sucks....

Obviously, that is the nic withdrawal talking.  I'm usually a very upbeat guy, but right now I'm a seething, emotional, wreck.  I'm holding it together pretty well on the outside.  My friends and family can't even tell I'm fully engaged in the toughest willpower battle of my life, but here, I believe I'm free to let my true feelings exist.  At least I hope so anyway.

So, hi, my alias is sapper, and this sucks.

Yup. It sure do. But... you're taking the first step in making sure the rest of your life doesn't suck. Get yourself up to the Welcome Center link at the top of the page. It tells you what, how, and why we do things here at KTC. Follow the program and freedom is yours bro. Trust me when I tell you... what you're feeling right now DOES go away and it gets better like you can't imagine. Shoot me a message if you need some help...

I found the stories on this site as well as the powerful story and gruesome pics from Outdoor Texan - http://outdoortexan.com/mycancer.htm to help keep the focus. The other trick that works for me is thinking about the cash the M-F'ers at RJR and other tobacco executives are putting in their pocket at my expense.

I view it as a game I am playing with the Nic Bitch while still understanding that I am messing with Brain chemistry so reality is a delicate place. I think everyone here has their own coping strategy. Mine focuses around changing my triggers. I used to sit in my home office every night dipping and doing computer work/play. Now if I need to work in the evening, I take my laptop into a different room. Drinking is simply off the table (a challenge in its own right). Anytime you change anything about a trigger (location, time of day, order, etc.) it can help take the edge off the crave.

There is a lot of experience and wisdom around here. It is your life and your future - take advantage of it.

[Sap]

Yeah, I know it will go away, but it is extremely tough. I've been dipping and / or smoking (but mostly dipping) for the last 15 years. There have been times when I haven't done either, maybe 6 months to a year here and there. Times when I've done both (combat deployments) and times when I've just done one or the other. For the last 4 years, it's been dip exclusively, and at its most egregious.

For the first 10 years, my consumption was never more than half a can a day (or a pack a day). Over the last 5 years it's gone up. 8 days ago, when I quit, the last time I bought a roll (5 pack) of dip was on Firday evening (Jan 31st), and by Sunday night (FEB 2), I had dipped all 5 cans. I had made the plan to quit early in JAN but just didn't do it until after that weekend when I literally spit out $25 of my hard earned cash in two days.

[SAM83]

Quitting, I mean, not this website.  This website is about the only thing in my life right at this moment that doesn't suck.  Everything else totally sucks.  Yes, it is annoying and horrible and completely idiotic.  It all sucks....

Obviously, that is the nic withdrawal talking.  I'm usually a very upbeat guy, but right now I'm a seething, emotional, wreck.  I'm holding it together pretty well on the outside.  My friends and family can't even tell I'm fully engaged in the toughest willpower battle of my life, but here, I believe I'm free to let my true feelings exist.  At least I hope so anyway.

So, hi, my alias is sapper, and this sucks.

Yup. It sure do. But... you're taking the first step in making sure the rest of your life doesn't suck. Get yourself up to the Welcome Center link at the top of the page. It tells you what, how, and why we do things here at KTC. Follow the program and freedom is yours bro. Trust me when I tell you... what you're feeling right now DOES go away and it gets better like you can't imagine. Shoot me a message if you need some help...

Yup, it sucks....in fact we very creatively refer to it as THE SUCK in the early days. It does get better ODAAT. Welcome to KTC. You got this!

[AppleJack]

Quitting, I mean, not this website. This website is about the only thing in my life right at this moment that doesn't suck. Everything else totally sucks. Yes, it is annoying and horrible and completely idiotic. It all sucks....

Obviously, that is the nic withdrawal talking. I'm usually a very upbeat guy, but right now I'm a seething, emotional, wreck. I'm holding it together pretty well on the outside. My friends and family can't even tell I'm fully engaged in the toughest willpower battle of my life, but here, I believe I'm free to let my true feelings exist. At least I hope so anyway.

So, hi, my alias is sapper, and this sucks.

Yup. It sure do. But... you're taking the first step in making sure the rest of your life doesn't suck. Get yourself up to the Welcome Center link at the top of the page. It tells you what, how, and why we do things here at KTC. Follow the program and freedom is yours bro. Trust me when I tell you... what you're feeling right now DOES go away and it gets better like you can't imagine. Shoot me a message if you need some help...

[Sap]

The title of my original intro post was "This sucks", so the rest of this will make sense now that you know that.

Quitting, I mean, not this website. This website is about the only thing in my life right at this moment that doesn't suck. Everything else totally sucks. Yes, it is annoying and horrible and completely idiotic. It all sucks....

Obviously, that is the nic withdrawal talking. I'm usually a very upbeat guy, but right now I'm a seething, emotional, wreck. I'm holding it together pretty well on the outside. My friends and family can't even tell I'm fully engaged in the toughest willpower battle of my life, but here, I believe I'm free to let my true feelings exist. At least I hope so anyway.

So, hi, my alias is sapper, and this sucks.