P: Avoid unwanted desires by visualizing the consequences

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We're often blinded by desires because we look only at it at face value. We only look at the pleasure side and we forget about the pain side. However, every high-dopamine action has a low-dopamine side (which has a bigger drop than the peak). If we're not aware of this fact, our hedonistic nature will almost always lead us into doing things we will later regret—things such as doing a heavy drinking night, although we decided to limit alcohol consumption; eating a bar of chocolate at once, although we promised ourselves not to eat sugar; binge-watching a show on Netflix, even though we planned to read a book; etc.

That said, to protect yourself from unwanted desires, you have to evaluate the whole picture. Besides thinking about how you'll feel during that activity, think of how you'll feel after you're finished, and ask yourself, "is it worth it?" E.g., thinking of the hangover after a night of drinking. To strengthen this, use visualization—imagine where you'll be, how you'll feel exactly, what you'll think once you're finished.

In a sense, this is a form of Bayesian reasoning. You take the potential pleasure from fulfilling the desire and subtract the potential pain of the consequences of fulfilling that desire. After doing that, you have the full picture, which often doesn't look positive at all.

Other related things that can help you steer away from unwanted desires are:

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