I think we often underestimate what willpower can achieve.

In my darkest times, I would set aside my plans for self-destruction on behalf of someone else, or to fulfill a commitment. A lot of us have put aside suicide plans in order to achieve something else first.

When I told my best friend that I would live at least one more week, it was locked in my mind with all the certainty I had. I think if you make a commitment you fully intend to keep, then it has a lot of power.

In the Suicide Risk Assessment Standards used by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and in the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (a gold standard measure), specific and detailed suicide plans are considered particularly high risk. 

A recent model of suicidal risk points out that specific intentions can lead to action in a variety of circumstances (Theory of Planned Behavior), so it is logical that specific suicide plans mean higher risk.

We can use that same principle in the opposite direction. Positive planning for the future is a buffer against suicide risk, and specific positive plans are more likely to lead you away from suicide.

Research on setting and achieving goals has found that writing specific goals and sharing them with someone you trust ('accountability') can dramatically increase your chance of success. Engaging others in your process also provides the opportunity for social connections, another buffer against suicide.