How to perform good deeds and stop committing sins?

An aspirant requested something for recitation (wird) that will assist in performance of good deeds and stop one from committing sins.

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied;

“Performance of good deeds and giving up sins are both volitional things. Recitations have nothing to do with them.

The method to adopt in implementation of volitional things is to use one’s determination and will power. In order to facilitate the use of determination one needs to do spiritual struggle (mujahida). This is by opposing and resisting the desires of one’s lower self (nafs). Doing this regularly will over time eventually result in facilitation (of effective use of determination).

I have summarized the whole art (of tasawwuf in this answer).”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 93