Procrastination to Progress: Achieving the 'unachievable' with dopamine!

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You have the right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

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A person of steady wisdom (sthita-prajna) is not motivated by desires in their mind, speech, or actions. They are neither attached to success nor failure. In fact, success or failure are external factors, but the process of performing the action with a stable mind is the true reward.

The relationship between dopamine and reward is a centuries old divine secret, but you have to really be passionate to grasp that knowledge. For me, the ultimate guide for all life’s struggles is always the Bhagavad Gita. In fact, in an earlier article titled Karma vs Dopamine, I had talked about why dopamine release, if not properly understood, creates problems for us, even if we desire to follow the righteous path of the Sthitha-prajna, as defined by this holy text.

Lord Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita have strongly emphasized Karma Yoga. This core concept in the Gita promotes performing your actions (duties) with detachment from the outcome. The focus is on doing your best (the journey) rather than obsessing over the results (the destination). Moreover, the Gita teaches striving for equanimity (mental calmness) in success and failure. This prevents emotions from derailing your journey. The focus on self-control and performing your actions with a pure heart aligns with finding satisfaction in the process itself, rather than external validation.

While the Gita doesn't directly use the term "dopamine," Lord Krishna's message resonates with the concept of finding intrinsic rewards in the effort and growth that come with pursuing a goal. It's about the satisfaction of doing your dharma (righteous duty) well, not just the fruits (achievements) of your labor.

Greetings all, I am back with some more very interesting insights in this final blog on the topic of dopamine and motivation. In our previous two blogs, we had a very comprehensive discussion on the dopamine molecule, which is not just an important part of our life. It is integral to life itself. Dopamine is like the body's internal "go-getter" chemical. It fuels motivation, reinforces learning, and drives us to seek rewards – all essential for survival. Without dopamine's motivational push, we might struggle to find food, escape danger, or even reproduce, jeopardizing the very foundation of life.

Now the examples we took so far pertained to the dopamine rush we get when we are purchasing a new car or a trip to Paris. What about more long term and grander goals? Let’s say you want to triple your income in five years, buy a big house, retire by a certain age with time and financial freedom? ?

Visualization practices have been propagated by motivational coaches for years, in the form of something called a vision board. Thinkers like Napoleon Hill in his book "Think and Grow Rich" (1937) emphasized the power of visualization for success. In the late 20th century, the concept evolved into creating physical collages or boards filled with images and words representing personal goals and aspirations. Or else, there could be qualitative goals like better relationships or continuous learning, or contributing to the betterment of society.

Vision boards promote the idea that focusing on your desires and surrounding yourself with visual representations can increase motivation and focus to achieve them. The assumption is that when you create a vision board and visualize your goals, you activate areas of the brain associated with reward and motivation. Such anticipation triggers dopamine release, creating a positive feeling that reinforces the goal-oriented behavior.

Looking at your vision board regularly serves as a reminder of your goals and can trigger dopamine release again. This positive reinforcement strengthens your desire to take action towards achieving them.

Conversely, vision boards might oversimplify the process of achieving goals. They don't account for the hard work, planning, and potential setbacks that come with success. Most importantly, vision boards often emphasize the end goal (the picture on the board) rather than the steps required to get there (the process).? This can lead to discouragement if progress feels slow.

Why are long term goals more difficult?

Long term goals can be tricky because the dopamine rush of achieving them is far off. Humans do exhibit a bias towards short-term pleasure and avoiding short-term pain, even if it means sacrificing long-term benefits. This tendency has a strong scientific basis rooted in our evolutionary history and brain function. Here's a breakdown of some possible factors:

Evolutionary Learnings: In our ancestral environment, quick decision-making and prioritizing immediate needs were crucial for survival. Seeking out readily available food sources (short-term pleasure) and avoiding immediate danger (short-term pain) were essential for staying alive and reproducing. That is why, when you are well past the survival phase, you are more likely to look for grander and more uplifting life goals.

The Dopamine System: Our brains are wired to release dopamine in response to pleasurable experiences, like eating sugary foods or engaging in leisure activities. This reinforces the behavior and encourages us to seek out those experiences again as they give us the rush with little effort.

The Discount Rate: Our brains also have a built-in "discount rate." This refers to the tendency to value immediate rewards more than future ones. A reward of $100 today seems more appealing than $200 a year from now, even though the future reward is objectively larger. This discounting makes long-term benefits seem less attractive in the moment.

The Prefrontal Cortex vs. Limbic System: The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher-order thinking and planning for the future. However, the limbic system, which deals with emotions and basic needs, often takes over in decision-making. The limbic system's urgency to avoid pain or seek pleasure can overpower the prefrontal cortex's ability to plan for the long term.

The bias towards short-term gratification varies between individuals. Factors like personality traits, self-control skills, and future time perspective can influence our decision-making. I had once talked about the famous marshmallow experiment, which concluded that people who can overcome the discounting bias have a greater potential for success in life.

Attitude over aptitude yet again!

When we're stressed or mentally exhausted, our ability to resist short-term temptations and focus on long-term goals diminishes. The prefrontal cortex becomes overloaded, making the limbic system's urges more powerful and overwhelming!

Time for a software upgrade

The good news is that we can learn to overcome this short term bias and make choices that benefit us in the long run. Here are some strategies:

Set SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals make long-term rewards feel more concrete and attainable. Reward yourself for making progress towards your long-term goals, reinforcing the positive behavior. You will be surprised at what you can achieve through proper planning and intermediate goal setting even for a year. Motivational coach Brian Tracy encourages us to prioritise getting the best in our fields through constant learning and emulating the people we admire. Identify gaps and learn, for every skill is trainable.

Focus on the Journey: Don't just think about the final destination or the pictures on your vision board. Your journey should be as pleasurable as the ultimate objects of desire you are pursuing. Do not blindly follow the path of someone you admire.

Make it Enjoyable:? If the steps to reach your goal feel like a chore, you'll be less likely to stick with them. Find ways to make the process itself rewarding. Maybe learning a new skill to boost your income is interesting, or the freedom of financial security is motivating.

Avoid Dopamine Debt: As we discussed, dopamine is not a limitless pool. Don't constantly chase quick dopamine fixes like social media or sugary snacks before working on your goal. This can make the actual work feel less rewarding in comparison.

The Growth Mindset Advantage: People with a fixed mindset typically experience and crave the dopamine surge for achieving perfect results or validating their existing abilities. This can make them hesitant to take on challenges or learn new things, fearing failure and a drop in dopamine. On the other hand, people with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.? The process of effort, overcoming obstacles, and making progress triggers dopamine release, not just the final outcome. This keeps them motivated to persist and develop their skills.

Happiness isn’t everything: Dopamine also gets triggered by anticipation of reward, not just the reward itself. However, constantly chasing pure happiness is unrealistic. Life is bound to throw curveballs, and setbacks are inevitable. If dopamine is solely tied to achieving perfect happiness, every reversal can feel like a failure, leading to discouragement and a drop in dopamine. By accepting that setbacks are part of the journey, you detach your dopamine from the outcome and focus on the process. Completing small tasks, overcoming challenges, and learning from mistakes can all trigger dopamine release, even if the overall situation isn't "happy."

Show up, even when things are not going your way. Acceptance that curveballs are part of the journey allows you to bounce back from setbacks quicker. You don't get stuck in a negative loop of disappointment and negative self-talk, allowing dopamine to refocus on progress and continued effort.

Give back, create value, help others: Giving to your friends, family, organization and society, without expectation of return is not really a losing proposition, if you take the perspective of dopamine production.

Humans are social creatures, and our brains are wired for connection. Acts of kindness and generosity activate the reward system in the brain, including dopamine release. This reinforces pro-social behavior and makes us feel good about helping others.

Studies have shown that helping others can trigger the release of endorphins and dopamine, creating a feeling similar to a "helper's high." This positive feeling motivates us to continue helping others. When we help others, we feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment. This contributes to our self-worth and self-esteem, which can be intrinsically rewarding and trigger dopamine release.

The dopamine boost doesn't just come from the act of giving itself. The anticipation of helping someone, the positive feedback received, and the feeling of making a difference can all contribute to dopamine release.

But do note. For the dopamine reward to be sustainable, the act of giving should be genuine and motivated by a desire to help, not by external pressure or seeking validation.? While giving is beneficial, setting healthy boundaries is crucial. Don't overextend yourself or feel obligated to help at your own expense. This can lead to resentment and a depletion of dopamine.

Gratitude and prayer: No matter what you are going through, be thankful. Gratitude encourages you to focus on the good things in your life, even during challenging times. This positive focus activates reward centers in the brain, leading to dopamine release. When you express gratitude, you take the time to savor positive experiences and appreciate what you have.

Prayer can instill hope and faith, which are positive emotions linked to dopamine release. It also connects you to something larger than yourself and foster a sense of purpose and control, even in difficult situations. This feeling of control can activate the reward system and trigger dopamine release.Moreover, the act of prayer itself can be a ritualistic and mindful practice. These are known to activate calming areas of the brain, while also triggering dopamine release.

There are of course quite a few ways to naturally boost dopamine levels before working on your goal. Sunlight exposure, exercise, and even the right foods (like those rich in tyrosine) can give you a motivational edge, as we discussed in the previous blog.

So, I hope this series of three blogs got your interest piqued and also gave you some useful insights on the brain’s reward chemical. Remember, that desire isn’t inherently a bad thing, and if you learn to leverage your dopamine system in the right way, you have the ability to achieve every desire you aim for (of course I am talking about the well meaning and genuine desires you have!). You can aim for genuine success that is both fulfilling and long lasting as per your distinctive definition, and on a path that is equally rewarding. What is your definition of success? Actually, it is something that your source intelligence always knows. You just have to listen to it carefully.

Article authored with inputs from Gemini AI