Motivation is an excellent topic because it is the driving factor for most behavior. Everyone is wired to need and want. Needs are almost always applied equally across all human existence. Food, shelter, love, and security. These are the most basic human needs in my honest opinion. Wants vary based on upbringing, faith, financial security, friendships, and sexual experiences. I would describe motivation as a desire. It can be a desire to obtain material or emotional or physical properties, this is all just brain chemistry. That is not a complete expansion of wants, but a general idea of wants for a diverse group of people. All desires break down to humans being wired to release our own hormones as a reward for obtaining what we desire. The motivation factor varies but always involves self discovery and understanding. This is where goals are set and motivation drives us to our goals. In an age where gratification is almost immediate and can involve less effort, it feels like we are getting wired to forget our long term goals when energy is converted to domaine or serotonin immediately. Instant gratification takes away motivation for big thoughts and ideas to be achieved. If we are always consumed with just “feeling good” then the long term goals that we have set for ourselves become sidetracked by our immediate release of chemicals and strong feelings attached to those chemicals. I believe this is even a bigger problem now than ever before. The dopamine nation book describes how our brain has been retrained to want things to feel good fast. This is what social media and 60 second clips can do if we are not careful and diversify to retrain our brain to enjoy longer hold time for its reward.
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The relationship between motivation and dopamine is crucial for understanding human behavior and goal-setting. explains that dopamine is the molecule of motivation and anticipation, rather than just pleasure. It plays a significant role in energizing us to pursue goals by being released in anticipation of a reward. However, once the reward is achieved, dopamine levels typically return to baseline, which can dampen motivation if mismanaged 1 2.
The "pleasure-pain balance" concept within our dopamine circuits, as discussed by in her book "Dopamine Nation", highlights how dopamine release can lead to subsequent cravings. This balance necessitates careful management to avoid pitfalls like addiction or excessive social media use, which can disrupt long-term goals 3 4.
Dopamine's power lies in its ability to drive us towards achieving goals through motivation, not just enjoying rewards. Studies show that even without dopamine, individuals can still experience pleasure but lack the motivation to pursue it. This underscores dopamine's role in motivating behavior across various timelines, from short-term to lifelong pursuits 5 6. Understanding these dynamics can help in cultivating sustained motivation and avoiding the distractions of immediate gratification.
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