Francis Bacon – On Human Nature
Human nature is often concealed; sometimes mastered, rarely suppressed. Force only makes nature more vehement; instruction and conversation make it less intrusive; only habit changes and subdues nature. Let he who wishes to conquer his own nature not set himself too great or too small tasks; for the former will make him despondent due to frequent failures, and the latter will cause slow progress, even though they may be more frequently overcome. And let him practice initially with aids, as swimmers use floats or reeds; but let him, after some time, make the practice more difficult, as dancers do with heavy shoes. For great perfection is achieved when the practice is more challenging than the actual performance. When nature is strong, and therefore victory is difficult, it is necessary to be gradual, to first pause and restrain nature, like one who, when angry, forces himself to first recite the twenty-four letters of the alphabet; then reduce the quantity, like one who needs to quit smoking and gradually decreases the number of cigarettes. Drinking wine, from the toasts, transitions to just one sip with a meal; and finally, completely stopping. However, if a person has the strength and determination to free themselves all at once, that is the best option:
That man is truly wise who, breaking the chains
That hurt his heart, shatters them once and for all.
Francis Bacon