Motivation, determination and the thirst to live
I spent almost an hour on this first paragraph.
Less than half of that time was spent actually writing. I also looked at my email for five minutes, another ten minutes scrolling on social media then almost twenty minutes on YouTube just shuffling my âwork playlistâ or switching between apps on my phone.
Sounds familiar right?
Motivation is difficult to find and even harder to keep. But itâs not impossible.
Motivation and Neuroscience
Letâs start with the basics. The brain uses neurotransmitters to pass information along. Neurotransmitters carry chemical messages through your brain and direct the rest of your body to act in certain ways.
One of those neurotransmitters is dopamine and the signal is passed from one neuron to the next through different receptors in the synapse.
There are a LOT of neurons in the brain. Each one with its own set of various types of receptors. So there are a lot of paths for the signal to go and it only gets more complicated.
Motivation depends on which path the dopamine takes. Itâs called the mesolimbic pathway, which is situated in the middle of your brain and branches out to the rest of it. This is the âreward roadmapâ of the brain.
Thereâs a lot of complicated things that happen in there but basically, your brain can sense when something important is going to happen and lets all that dopamine loose.
Dopamine Spikes and the Fight or Flight response
Youâve probably heard about the Fight or Flight response (scientific studies shows that Freeze is also in there) [1]. Itâs one of the results of a dopamine spike, which exists in order to make us do something good or avoid something bad.
While Dopamine can feel good, it has more to do with motivation and cost/benefit analyses in the brain.
Hack your brain to be more productive
So now we know that whenever you anticipate that something important is about to happen, your brain floods you with the happy juice.
We also know that the brain can be trained to respond in certain ways if we do one thing consistently.
You have all the tools you need to train yourself to be more productive.
The best way to do this is incrementally. Set small, achievable goals. Do them, then let the feeling linger and remember it for the next step in your plan, here on planet earth.
With each challenge you meet, your confidence grows and your brain is a little better at rewarding itself, and by extension you.
Here are a few suggestions on how to start that dopamine pump:
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Keep score of small accomplishments
Use a to-do list and cross out each item. You can track your progress and feel good about it too.
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Share your results with your friends/loved ones/team
Having someone root for you can make a big difference. Even if the outcome isnât positive, getting some encouragement to try again, or help in solving a problem will only make you feel better in the end. Positive feedback generates motivation to keep going.
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Keep a deadline
Stay focused on just one task at a time. Multitasking is not a thing anyone does well. We just arenât built that way. [2]
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Keep a positive outlook
Keep your ultimate goal in mind. Visualize it. Imagine how good it will feel when you finish everything. Let the prospect of your upcoming result drive you forward.
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Give yourself little rewards
Like a sweet treat or something small you like. It doesnât work for everyone and you need discipline to only give yourself a little bit of something only when youâve finished a task, but it might help to have something to look forward to.
Just remember not o make it the end goal of your efforts. Do the thing for your sake, not just external rewards.
The physical aspect of motivation
Our minds may be amazing, mysterious wonders, but brains are still very much tied to the body.
Healthy habits will always improve your quality of life and your motivation with it.
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A varied diet is important
Food with natural probiotics, like yogurt, raw fruits and nuts will boost your brainâs ability to produce dopamine.
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Take a nap
Ten minute power naps can really reset your brain.
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When you take a break from work, do something else
Your brain is both creative and analytical. Say youâre a programmer, maybe try to doodle something or hum a song.
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Get moving
Get up and stretch, of go for a walk. If youâre feeling ambitious, do a ten minute, intense workout routine. Physical activity will boost your dopamine level.
Just get started and keep going
As long as you put your mind to it, you can achieve just about anything you set out to do. Motivation is linked to your determination more than anything.
Stick to the things you want or are important to you and you will succeed. [3]
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2489204/
[2] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/
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