Daily Counters - How do they help?

That's only my viewpoint, but the counter remains you how long you struggled to get to this point, so in addition to previous motivations, you also don't want to lose the benefits / your high counter.

It also help you focus on the future : "ok no PMO for 60 days, but I have still 30 to go through, no overconfidence."

Plus maybe a bit of competition (I'm totally honest here, because I don't think it's in our interest to compete each other, rather help each other)

 

It stops you from losing count...

 

For me it's actually something like a level of a game-character, like in a RPG game.
It's simply a kind of achievement on can be proud of and gives you access to an exclusive circle of noble and glorious pro-gamers. And leveling up is in itself a source of joy. ;-)

Yeah, that's probably a rather humoreous analogy but maybe not entirely inadequate i guess.

Regards, Dan

 

This is just my take but they help me stay focused because I do not want to (and will not!) go back to 'zero'. Its fair enough if that doesnt matter to some because every streak etc is a personal victory (whatever it is we choose to move beyond) but I did the same with heavy drinking and smoking in 2008 and I dont know how many days it is since I stopped but I will not let myself go back to zero no matter what (and I've been through 2 long term relationship break ups since the day I quit, one of seventeen years and another of five, plus seven house moves, a failed business, a 'lost' business, the loss of work, and the death of a family member. Yep! It's been quite a ride this past few years but I'm still standin'!!) because to me if your going to quit something thats bad for you you have got to quit for good!!!

And to be honest, to me at least 'quit' is the wrong word (same with 'struggle' and 'fight' etc) because it causes us to focus on loss rather than what we are gaining. For instance I 'lost' some more work recently but I 'gained' the opportunity to focus some time and energy on a new and better direction as things really were getting stale anyway!

So I guess the counter could count/celebrate the days since you said YES to a new and better version of yourself?

Be all that you trully are mate. Keep going

 

It has given me great encouragement to watch that counter go up and up every time I log on and I have taken great pride in my progress. It has become the challenge now, like racking up stats on a computer game. One of the things that helps to keep me from temptation is the thought of having to reset that counter, the disappointment and shame of it.

Soon you find yourself willing that counter on, and also watching others counters, cheering them on too, and gazing impressed at those that sit in the triple figure mark.

Get one, and it is important to remember to use all the options to personalise it, make it your own. This is your journey, and you alone set the parameters!

 

Having a real goal right in front of me motivates the hell out of me! I mean, maybe that's an indictment on my organization skills. But the counter is just there and I can safely say it's doubled and tripled my streaks.

 

In addition to what everyone else said, which are all reasons for me as well, it helps others to keep track of you and motivate you, and when you are reading posts of others, it helps you to see at what stage they are in their journey so that you can take the advice in the appropriate context.

 

Counters are nice to have and can be beneficial like everyone else says. But what I noticed is that sometimes counters make you focus on the porn or pain which will eventually lead to relapse if you let it. Based on my experiences, having a counter wasn't very helpful on my part as I felt that the days build up to slow and then I felt like giving up. I also think that counters aren't necessary if you plan to never look at porn again as what would be the point of counting then. I guess it's what you make it.

 

A very good point Ash, this is kind of the theme of this post that I put up a short while ago....

http://www.nofap.org/forum/showthread.php?7873-So-you-ve-decided-this-is-the-last-time

 

I refuse to use counters. I don't like have a specific goal I have to survive. At least that's what it feels like to me. I feel like if I tell myself I want to survive 7 days, I'll survive it but then I'll relapse right after. Plus, I want to quit PMO forever so what's the point in having a specific amount of days. I just count how many days I've survived so far but I really have no goal of 90 days I want to reach.

 

Exactly plus it motivates you

 

It can be motivating but don't obsess over it too much. Focus more on improving the aspects of your life that were hurting because of PMO and the days will keep stacking up. ALSO don't let that voice in the back of your head tell you "it's been x amount of days, we better fap just for some relief!" --- never worth it