The more I want it, the more I fail to do it.

Is it just me? It seems that the more I want to lose weight, the more plans I make to lose weight, the more I read up on all the things you need to do to be healthy, the more I fail. A year ago when I started losing weight it was over a bet... 3 of us put $10 in a pot and who ever lost the most body percentage got the money. I won, and after that I just continued to do it and lose weight. Then I fell off the wagon. Now I keep planning to diet, planning my meals ahead of time, learning about healthy food choices, wanting desperately to lose the weight and just keep failing to do it. Where as before I did it for fun as a game. I didn't even want it a year ago. It's only now that I realise how good it felt and want it back! I am frustrated at myself.

You did it before to show off to your friends....   Anyone with a competitive streak can put up with practically anything short-term if it means they win the race.  (Every fad diet invented relies on that fact) But when there's no race, why bother?

I read somewhere once "don't do anything to lose weight that you can't see yourself happily doing for the rest of your life"

It's likely that your diet plans and healthy food choices etc., just aren't that attractive or appealing for the long-term.   Maybe your targets are too stiff, your methods too strict?  Impractical expectations?  Maybe you're trying to change too many things at once?

This time, rather than just fixing on 'weight-loss' as the goal, try to work on finding things you can 'see yourself happily doing for the rest of your life'.  It may not be grand sweeping gestures like working out in a gym six days a week.... could be something a lot more modest like taking a walk every lunchtime. 

Good luck

it's a long way from "wanting" to "doing."  i mean, i want to write a novel (a good novel, that is: a publishable novel.  i've written plenty of bad novels).

jane is right: drop the global goals and pick something small to start.  and weight loss might just be a red herring: for me, my weight was a side-effect of dissatisfaction, and when i made changes in other areas of my life, the weight piece became a lot easier.

Putting too much pressure on is not good it seems like too much of a task. I think once you know your approach leave it alone stop planning and instead incorporate one of the things in your plan each day. Also, think posotive and find the fun in it!