Want motivation? Rewire your brain.

The link between motivation and neuroscience: Connecting science with the emotion

Motivation is the first, yet much-needed step towards success.

Be it a daily task, starting a new business, or fulfilling a long-term goal, motivation drives the initial impulse to ACT. And with action comes growth, a sense of fulfillment, and a purpose to live by!

As simple as it may sound, we fight every day to get that decent dose of motivation as we go about our work. And even if we gather the energy to start, we fail to maintain it.

Need an example? We got one.

You must have browsed past thousands of health-related articles, even gone through some of them, and loved the content. But how many times have you tried to hit the gym to keep healthy? Or struggled to get the 'kick' to continue going to the gym?

Got you thinking?

Have you ever wondered what is it that lies behind the science of motivation? Why are some of us highly motivated and others not? Do we always depend on some external source of inspiration to get started? What can we do to keep ourselves motivated?

Well, the answer lies within us, literally! It's our brain that houses the chemicals and pathways that can trigger motivation.

This article brings is a simple brief on how you can take cues from neuroscience to find motivation and how building up certain daily habits can help you stay motivated.

Unleashing the source of motivation-A look into its link to neuroscience

The complicacies of the brain may be too much to take in at a go. Rather, a simple understanding of the mechanisms involved in motivated states can set up the right track for you to take action.

There are 2 types of motivation- extrinsic and intrinsic.

In simple terms, extrinsic motivation is the 'kick' that we get from outside sources like rewards, words of appreciation and encouragement, or even seeing someone succeed. It is short-lived and often fluctuating.

Intrinsic motivation is the self-generated willpower ('kick') that drives us. Research reveals that intrinsic motivation is one of the strongest emotions that inspire us and help us to reach our goals. When channelized optimally, this type of motivation has the power to fuel us consistently, as and when we need it.

This explains why some among us are 'go–getters'; while others are 'slackers'!

Having said that, the next obvious question is- What controls these spikes of intrinsic motivation that we experience?

Tracing the source, research now confirms that dopamine, a unique neurotransmitter (a chemical that passes on signals from our nerve ending to the next) in the brain, is a key player here.

Dopamine, widely known as the 'happy hormone', goes much beyond only that. It not only spikes after the completion of a task or a passion, rather it works towards encouraging us to take action for that task or passion.

The brain areas where dopamine mainly works to spark motivation consist of a network of important regions, including the nucleus accumbens, the striatum, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. These form a coherent system of reward and motivation. The system is an ancient 'brain reward region' that worked to provide motivation to meet basic needs like food and shelter. Now, the same system has evolved to extend similar feelings in our fields of work and passions.

Dopamine can influence our sense of reward, motivation, and thus our behavior and performance in an upward or downward spiral. Positive expectations that are met produce dopamine, which makes us feel good and motivates us to repeat the behavior.

That brings us to the next question-Can we practically train our brain to stay motivated and improve productivity?

Yes, we can!

Let's take a look at some ways to direct your brain and dopamine towards achieving your goals.

1.     Anticipate the rewards on completing a task- According to researchers, the human brain can be trained to create a positive dopamine environment. One method is to anticipate the reward. This action has a direct link to our brain's motivation centers and keeps the dopamine flowing at the right places in the brain.

Go on; take up a task and think of all the 'good things that you can achieve by completing it.

2.     Recall positive past experiences-Tap in your brain and think about how much you have enjoyed doing a work in the past.

This positive memory triggers the motivational centers in the brain and voila, you achieve even more the next time you repeat the work.

3.     Feel confident and worthy-Acknowledge your efforts. Validate yourself. Share your small wins. Remind yourself of how far you have come.

Believe that you can do it. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and churn out the best from you.

Studies confirm that these small, yet powerful, self-affirmations and positive self-images create a surge of dopamine in our brain and keep us motivated for a long time.

4.     Add fun elements to work-Any work can become boring without those abrupt twists and tweaks that we often miss.

Level up on your fun side. Break down a task into tiny parts. Include creative ways to complete each part. Simplify your tasks.

Keep your work well-aligned with your passion and try to enjoy the process. With joy, the 'happy hormone' kicks in!

5.     Make time for exercise-Exercise increases our heart rates and boosts our dopamine release.

So squeeze in some sort of physical activity between work and see your productivity soar.

Takeaway message- JK Rowling, the author of the all-time favorite series, Harry Potter, was rejected by 12 publishers before she could make the magic happen.

Ever wondered what kept her going? Well, you know now! Winners don't do different things, they do things differently.

So, whether you sit lazily and cringe over missing out on regular exercise or you take the time out to go and hit the gym, remember it's your dopamine in action!

With the access to the 'motivation switch' in your hands now, don't let the drowning energy levels dictate your success or failure! Turn to neuroscience when you feel low and exhausted.

Take charge of how you feel, set up tangible goals, practice these small habits and use your brain to keep the energy flowing.

What are you waiting for?? Start now. Start with the habit that you feel is easy, build upon them, and manifest your dream goals.