Dopamine is often referred to as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter because it is strongly associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. When we experience something pleasurable, such as eating delicious food or receiving praise, our brain releases dopamine. This reinforcement encourages us to repeat the behaviour that led to the pleasurable experience.
Motivation: Dopamine plays a central role in motivation. It helps drive us to pursue goals and take action to achieve them. When dopamine is released in response to achieving a goal or making progress, it reinforces the behaviour, making us more likely to continue working toward our objectives.
To induce a dopamine “surge,” one effective approach is to periodically and consistently offer ourselves a mental commendation or silently acknowledge our accomplishments, no matter how minor they may be, during tasks or upon achieving something. By internally praising ourselves, we can trigger the release of dopamine, providing us with increased vitality and enhancing our motivation to persevere with enduring tasks.
Let Dr Huberman explain how to master Dopamine for longevity in motivation! Basically, don’t attach Dopamine spikes with the end goal. We lose motivation faster than if we attach Dopamine in the pursuit of our goals (the journey!). That’s when we’ll stay motivated for longer periods of time.