1) Pray and give God full control of this area of your life.

Matthew 26:41

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2) Bring the long-term results into the short term by learning how to keep score.

The problem is very often the short term feelings and the long term results are at odds with each other. Smoking a cigarette can make you feel good even in the moment even as it is killing you long term.

Galatians 6:7-8 says:

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Whatever area you are working on that you know you need to change you need to have a score card for. You can be creative with it, make it however you want but keep track of the score somehow.

3) Fail forward by learning and practicing.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

This Means there is always a way that we could get through anything without messing up and sinning and falling short. Whatever you decide is the way that you should of handled things you need to actually practice doing that it might be just mentally if it’s not possible physically, but if it is possible actually going and physically doing things the way you should of is very helpful.

4) Find people who are good at what you want to be doing, or who have the same goals as you do and surround yourself with them.

When you feel like you are all alone in something it seems so hard and lonely. But when you have other people encouraging you, cheering for you and holding you accountable when you mess up and struggling with you suddenly life is a lot more fun and things just seem easier.

5) Limit the access of people who are going to cause you to mess up.

1 Corinthians 15:33

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

6) Reward yourself for doing the positive things that you dislike doing.

It is even better if you make the plans to enjoy your reward. If you feel like you might lose out on something you already have planned than you are even more motivated than if you are just trying to reach a reward. Plus your friends will bug you all week to each your vegetables so you can go to the movie with them.

7) Change your environment.

You want to keep good things close and convenient and bad things distant and difficult. Get rid of anything that reminds you of something you want to change. Put up scriptures and reminders of what you do want.