I believe that sometimes when we approach the decision to eliminate a bad habit, we make it harder than it actually is. Here's a great intervention that I share with my clients. It has a very high success rate. Upwards of 77%.

Why such a high success rate? Well, because this strategy utilizes your cognitive power to recall pain, as you simultaneously make an autonomous choice to be happy and healthy.

It's called, "Drop it like it's hot" and it can give you new eyes to see the reason and rationale for dropping any bad habit, fast!

Like most great interventions, it is very simple. However, this one has a foundation of fun. It is one of the most effective ways to quickly and permanently transcend feelings of conflict, sense of loss, and deprivation typically associated with dropping a bad habit.

And, it's not radically new. Ironically, "drop it like it's hot," is a little like "stopping cold turkey." Unlike the latter, this strategy offers a powerful metaphor as an incentive and rationale. It does this by re-creating a catalytic event that encourages dramatic and permanent change.

Here's how it works. Whenever you catch yourself engaging, thinking of, or doing an undesirable behavior or bad habit, immediately "drop it" like it's hot!

Imagine the heat of hot, fiery coals. Pick up the habit; you pick up hot coals. And, we all know the consequences of that.

As you can see, this illustration sheds new light on the negative consequences of the behavior. And, you're less likely to have conflict between what you say you are going to do, and what you actually do. This is because there is a powerful association of motivation and excruciating pain. So, you automatically create an intuitive, autonomous, system for ridding yourself of your bad habit. When you can vividly see the horrific consequences in your mind and experience the event with your entire central nervous system, you are more inclined (and more motivated) to separate yourself from the bad habit.

This exciting intervention serves as the ultimate, in behavior-modifying metaphors. It reminds us of our ability to exercise our power and control and drop any bad habit ... like it's really, really hot.

Fran Briggs is a Certified Mental Health Resource Specialist. She is also the founder of The Fran Briggs Companies, an organization which helps individuals and groups take their human potential beyond the max. For more information, or to sign up for your free, semimonthly success newsletter, visit http://www.franbriggs.com