Are You Willing to do What it Takes?

There is no magic pill, no secret program, no super special technique to overcome an addiction. There are, however, steps and techniques you have forgotten or just never learned. The problem is, even with all the right knowledge and techniques at you disposal you won't just automatically overcome addiction. There comes a point where you have to choose to work enough, believe enough, and be motivated enough to earn success. You have to be willing to stop pornography.

I speak from experience on this one. Some days will seem easy. You'll be able to easily resist temptation in a relaxed manner. These are the days you've desired to have for a long time, so when they come you feel relieved and happy. But you must remember that this will only be true on some days. Most days, all your life, will require work. They will require you to exert your physical and mental energies to stay clean. We must not be lured into thinking that we no longer have to work as hard as we did before. As long as you are on this earth there will be temptations.

I do no say these things to discourage but to prepare. You will get stronger with time and it will be easier to resist temptation. All I'm trying to say here is that there will rarely be a day that will not require you to work at staying clean. It takes constant and every day effort to maintain a clean happy life. Happiness will always require more work than the misery associated with bad choices.
So every day you have to wake up and decide you are willing to exert your personal powers to make the right choices all day. This will become a great habit and prepare you for the really difficult days ahead. I say this because some days will seem like "The Perfect Storm" in which every thing seems combined against you. For example, you wake up with little sleep, you're irritated at work, your boss won't leave you alone, the bills are stacking up, you get into an accident on the way home, you argue with your wife,you're having a hard time controlling your thoughts, and finally you see an inappropriately dressed girl on TV. Well, in those circumstances it just seems like you can't take it anymore and you are so tempted to give into temptation and go on a pornography binge. Believe it or not, even in these circumstances, it is still your choice to do the work to resist temptation and maintain a positive attitude.
How much you are willing to work is directly tied to how much you believe in the process of change, in a better life, and your personal powers to change. If you stop working and give into temptation or fall short of your goal it is simply because you did not have enough faith and motivation. How do you get that faith and motivation? You choose to have it. Nobody can give it to you or make you have it. There are people and sources that can help you to have it but it is ultimately your choice to have enough faith and motivation to keep working no matter what the circumstances are.
Masturbation and pornography can make you feel powerless. It is true to these things bind you and restrict your freedom to choose. However, though it may feel like it, these things do not have complete control over you. You still have enough power to fight back and reclaim the lost ground in the internal battle you've been engaged in. It will not be instant but gradual and eventual. In fact, with perseverance success is inevitable. However, this requires work. Sometimes it will require you to exert all the energies of your soul to resist temptation, but you are not alone. God promises to bless you with the extra strength you need, after you have done all you can do. You will know when you've done all you can do because that is the time when God's power kicks in and you will be victorious. God loves you enough to not do all the work for you but help you when you've done all you can do. Even if you are not religious, just do all you can do and you will be rewarded with success. You will feel an extra boost of power from a source beyond yourself.

Just keep working!

Ask yourself these questions with "10" representing the most:

1. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do I really want to overcome porn addiction or any kind of addiction?

2. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do I believe in my power to overcome addiction?

3. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much am I willing to work every single day to overcome addiction?

Answer these questions honestly. If you are lacking in one or more of these areas then work to improve the numbers and you will have more success.

Success will not come by accident or luck. It will come because you worked for it and earned it.