You don’t lack MOTIVATION, you lack DOPAMINE
How many times have you heard yourself or others say, “That goal just doesn’t M O T I V A T E me” or, “I just have no motivation to go for that promotion at work” or, “I don’t F E E L like it!”
We keep waiting for this jolt of motivation to wash over us. We think that our environment, the people around us or the task that is given to us needs to be in itself motivating.
Is it really the external thing, person, event or goal that has this responsibility, or is there something biochemically in our bodies that determine what motivates us or not?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that gives us the chutzpah to work hard, do a good job, see a goal to it’s bitter end, to be proactive and to take charge. It gives us the “I did it!” bliss response in the brain when we accomplish something. It is the motivation molecule. Without it we feel lethargic, depressed, irritable, indecisive, we procrastinate and generally feel useless.
Motivation can be the product of two sources. For the sake of simplicity, let’s boil it down to 2 sources: healthy sources and unhealthy sources.
When we are lacking motivation and an overall ZEST for life we can, often times, feel this draw towards things that give us a small rush of dopamine, but come with a price. Things like chocolate, overuse of the internet, alcohol, shopping, sugar, caffeine, gambling etc. All of these behaviours can become addictive because they give us an immediate hit, but the impending crash soon after leaves us always wanting more and no better of than when we started.
Our bodies are smart, they know we need dopamine, but they want it fast and efficiently. We have trained our bodies to know that donuts, the internet and caffeine can be reached and consumed much faster than the healthy stuff.
The problem with these unhealthy sources of dopamine of course is that they do NOT lead us to an overall sense of LIFE, they are short-term fixes that lead to long-term damage.
Sure, you may feel that sense of competition or motivation if you see a facebook friend losing weight, or getting married, or happy…which motivates you to work harder and announce something happy on your side just to compensate, but…
it doesn’t last, it isn’t real — it’s reactive, not responsive.
It’s the same with sugar and caffeine.
How many times have you gone into work in the mornings after a double frappuccino latte and fruit smoothie and yell at all of your colleagues “HIIIIIII EVERYONE, isn’t it G O R G E O U S out?! I LOOOVE you, and you and YOU!” and then 2 hours goes by and you become Mr. Hyde.
You. Hate. Everyone.
The UP, the crash and the burn..leaving us wanting more and more of the short-term fix — — > this appetite is insatiable. It’s a roller coaster that leads us in circles without getting anything done. We start projects, promise our bosses the world, say “Yes, Yes, Yes!!!” we plan dates with friends, but then we crash. All we have to show for it is a bunch of half-done projects, our boss thinking we’re losers and pulling the shoot on all our commitments last minute. We then curl up in a ball at home, put netflix on and wish we were somewhere or someone else — — — > until we do it all over again the next time
What do we want to do instead, how do we press the EJECT button and get out of the cycle?
We need to incorporate healthy sources of dopamine that won’t give us a crash, but will give us a positive and sustainable general feeling of happiness, motivation and wellbeing over the long haul.
Here are some activities and foods that naturally increase the dopamine levels in our brains:
- all animal products
- beans
- avocado
- green leafy vegetables
- oatmeal
- sea vegetables
- beets
- apples
- turmeric
- almonds
- green tea
- exercise (walking, strength training, recreational sport)
- creative arts like painting, writing, reading, music
- human connection and interaction (positive)
- meditation
It’s a little bit of a catch 22 when it comes to the activities above right? I listed exercise and I bet the #1 thing that you said to yourself was, “But I am not MOTIVATED to do it!” Call it a catch-22, a chicken or the egg situation , or putting the horse before the carriage, I get it.
But, here is the thing.
What if instead of giving into your feeeeeeelings or blaming the exercise program, or your stress levels or the “morning I had” or anything else which you feel will justify your skipping out on the activity, you said to yourself, “Man, my dopamine levels must be low today, I don’t feel like going for that walk or that workout!” And then you said to yourself, “Well, my feelings don’t mean that the workout, the goal or the environment isn’t right, it just means my chemicals are imbalanced today. Seems like I need a green tea before my workout or to call my best friend and tell her I need some words of encouragement.”
Why push yourself?
Because, after the workout, you will get your next dose of dopamine which will increase your motivation for the rest of the day.
Just like a scientific experiment, when we add chemicals, put chemicals together or reduce a chemical there is a reaction. We, as humans, are products of science — cells that respond to chemical interactions. When we combine baking soda with vinegar we get bubbles and an explosion. When you deprive yourself of dopamine, you get a lack of motivation.
Baking soda needs vinegar to get motivated to expand, we need dopamine.
Your feelings of motivation may be derived from your environment, your job choice, your training regime or not being connected to a goal you set for yourself, but I would say 9 times out of 10 it has nothing to do with the external.
We know this just by how varied our days can be. Some days we wake up excited and enthusiastic about our life as it is and other days we hate it. What are you acting most on, the happy days or the sad days?
Find out what is real — rid yourself from the unhealthy sources of dopamine and switch over your brain chemistry to the healthy sources. From there, see what is really going on. Until then, understand that our states of being are mostly chemicals and habits. Empower yourself with the knowledge that your current state of being is probably just about YOU and only you have the power to change it. Leave everyone else out of it.
The more we program our brains to see the healthy sources of dopamine as convenient, fast and efficient the more we will be able to create a sustainable life of motivation and EXCITEMENT for LIFE!
Our natural state is to be positive, healthy and whole. Our bodies are not against us, one can argue that we program our minds to be against us instead!
Outsmart culture, what you think is going on and rise above the blame-game. Rewire your brain, feed it the nutrients it needs to be successful and your world will change.
Instead of seeing all the negative and the bad, a light will shine in your brain and you will find all the enthusiasm you need about the life you have.
It’s science.
It’s real.
Bio-hack your brain for success.
Get off the dope and get on healthy sources of dope-amine.
(couldn’t resist)
The hamster wheel is for hamsters, press the EJECT button and start being human. Make a biochemical change.
When you do, those yeses will become real, you’ll follow through on those projects, you’ll get to that workout and when you’re low, you’ll grab a banana with almond butter instead of the sugar or facebook scan.
“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right” — Henry Ford
Just like the unicorn, the fairy Godmother and the Easter bunny, motivation coming from anywhere other than inside ourselves is unfortunately just something we tell ourselves to make us feel good inside.
Take control, exit the self-blame cycle and start playing scientist.
“It’s not you, it’s me” — says your brain. “Would you just get me the sh#t I need to take control of our lives and be happy? The donuts, coffee, and instagram accounts are great and all, but I’m f-ing tired.”
Don’t feeeeeel like it? Too bad. You now have the secret to succeed.
Grab that green tea, call your Mom and make sh#t happen.
Love you!
