How I Tricked My Brain To Like Doing Hard Things

You probably possess no difficulty engaging in video games or browsing social media on your phone. As a matter of fact, I am entirely confident that you possess the ability to devote a solid two hours, if not more, to these activities without diverting your focus. However, when it comes to dedicating just thirty minutes to studying, well, that's a different story. How about allocating an additional hour to work on your side business? Hmm... doesn't sound quite as appealing.

Despite logically understanding that studying, exercising, establishing a business, or engaging in something similarly productive will yield long-term benefits, you still lean towards watching television, playing video games, and mindlessly scrolling through social media. Some may argue that the reason behind this preference is blatantly obvious. One activity requires minimal effort and comes easily, while the other necessitates exertion and demands your full commitment. Yet, there exist individuals who tackle studying, exercising, and working on personal projects without any apparent difficulty. This begs the fundamental question: Why do some individuals possess greater motivation to confront challenging endeavors? Moreover, is there a method to make difficult tasks more manageable? In order to address this inquiry, we must turn our attention to a particular brain neurotransmitter known as dopamine.

Commonly regarded as a pleasure molecule, dopamine's true function extends beyond mere pleasure. In fact, dopamine fuels our desires, thereby generating the motivation necessary to take action. If you remain dubious of dopamine's power, allow me to introduce a series of experiments conducted by neuroscientists on laboratory rats. These researchers implanted electrodes into the rats' brains. Each time the rat pulled a lever, the scientists would stimulate the rat's reward system in the brain. The resultant effect was that the rats developed an insatiable craving, compelling them to pull the lever repetitively for hours on end. Unwilling to eat or sleep, they persisted solely in activating the lever until ultimately succumbing to exhaustion. However, the process was then reversed. The researchers obstructed the release of dopamine in the brain's reward center. As a result, the rats became lethargic to such an extent that even exerting the effort to fetch a drink of water was deemed unworthy. They lost their appetite, no longer desired to procreate, and ultimately abandoned all cravings whatsoever. One could argue that these rats completely surrendered their will to live. Curiously enough, if food was directly placed into their mouths, the rats would still consume and enjoy it. However, they lacked the motivation to independently acquire it. One might assume that thirst or hunger motivates us to seek sustenance and refreshment. Yet, dopamine also plays a pivotal role in this process. Admittedly, the rat experiments may represent extreme cases. Nevertheless, similar effects of dopamine can be observed in humans and within our daily lives. In fact, our brains craft priorities largely based on the anticipated release of dopamine. If an activity yields insufficient dopamine, one's motivation to engage in said activity diminishes significantly. Conversely, if an activity triggers substantial dopamine release, motivation to repeat said activity intensifies.

Therefore, which behaviors prompt dopamine release? Any activity wherein one anticipates a potential reward elicits dopamine. Conversely, if the brain predicts the absence of immediate rewards, dopamine is not released. For instance, prior to indulging in comfort food, the brain releases dopamine in response to the anticipation of feeling good. This occurs even if the food ultimately results in negative feelings. In essence, the brain remains indifferent to the potential harm caused by high dopamine activities, relentlessly seeking increased doses. An archetypal example lies in the behavior of a drug addict. Possessing full awareness that their actions are deleterious, their sole objective remains acquiring more of the sought-after substance. Cocaine and heroin, for instance, release alarmingly large amounts of dopamine, thereby exacerbating one's craving for these substances. Naturally, it is important to acknowledge that nearly every behavior elicits some degree of dopamine release. Even drinking water when one is thirsty triggers dopamine release. However, the highest dopamine release occurs when a reward is obtained randomly. This phenomenon is particularly evident when one engages in slot machine gambling at a casino. Irrespective of prior monetary losses, an individual anticipates a substantial reward, uncertain of the exact timing. In our present digital era, we inadvertently inundate our brains with unnaturally high levels of dopamine on a daily basis, often without our conscious awareness.

Examples of high-dopamine behaviors include endlessly scrolling through social media platforms, immersing oneself in video games, and consuming internet pornography, among others. Each of these behaviors engenders an expectation of reward, compelling us to constantly check our phones in the hope of receiving a text message or another form of notification. In essence, we have become akin to those rats incessantly pulling the lever in search of another dopamine rush. You may ponder, "So what? How does this harm me in any way?" Unfortunately, such thinking would be misguided. Our bodies possess a biological system known as homeostasis, which seeks to maintain internal physical and chemical conditions at a balanced level.