A friend and I were just talking about Alan Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. When I read the book, I started sticking reminders to my bathroom mirror so that every morning, the first thing I would see was, "Yippee, I'm a non smoker" or one of my other affirmations.
My favourite part of the book is that it convinces you to think about smoking. When I failed to quit, I'd always do the "don't think about smoking" dance. Needless to say, that always failed. Since the book, I've tried to focus more on my flaws. It hasn't worked in all ways, though I'm still trying.
If I may diverge from the main topic but to your point. I'd venture to say that the act of putting reminders and thinking about smoking is the reason you failed.
I stopped smoking with the same book but the it worked (as I understand it now) is that it breaks down every excuses you gave yourself to smoke while it actually encourages you to keep smoking while reading. At the end of the book you just have no reason left to smoke. What happened for me when I closed the book is that I just continued my life as if I was not a smoker, never actually thinking about it. No withdrawal of any kind but I didn't remind myself that I used to be a smoker, never. I know it but it's not something I think about
Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. The book and the reminders are why I actually quit smoking after over a decade of a pack a day. During all my failed attempts to quit I tried to use willpower combined with trying not to think about smoking.
Giving myself permission to think about smoking was a huge factor in actually quitting. "Don't think about the colour black" is a great way to fail...:)
My favourite part of the book is that it convinces you to think about smoking. When I failed to quit, I'd always do the "don't think about smoking" dance. Needless to say, that always failed. Since the book, I've tried to focus more on my flaws. It hasn't worked in all ways, though I'm still trying.