#20: A Deep Dive into the Molecule of More

Hi,

I'm happy you want to invest in your brain. That's a smart choice. As always, I've got 4 Brain Nutrients for you:

• A Short Article: If You Never Have Enough, Blame Dopamine.

• 2 Quotes.

• A Neuroscience Fact: All Animals Produce Dopamine.

Enjoy!

A Short Article: If You Never Have Enough, Blame Dopamine

"That's the book I wish I had written." Andrew Huberman.

What did I do when you heard this recommendation? I bought the book and started reading. And now I'm sharing what I learned from "Molecule of More" by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long.

So I've gathered 4 new things I learned about dopamine.

1. We've got separate systems for what we have and what we want to have.

Without dopamine, there's no better future.

When you are happy with what you have now, you release serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. When you plan a better future, you get dopamine. Then, dopamine gives you the energy to pursue your goals.

So our brains created separate systems for now and the future.

2. Dopamine system is stronger, so we never have enough.

Dopamine outmuscles the here-and-now system.

Imagine you live in a tiny, 1-bedroom apartment. But in 2 weeks, you'll move to a larger, 3-bedroom flat. You're happy and excited. The anticipation feels better than living there. After a couple of months, you think about a house. Once you have it, you want a mansion.

As a result, you are never happy with the now. Blame dopamine!

3. The beginning of each relationship is dopamine driven.

Every relationship starts with excitement.

We meet "the other half" and think:

"Together, we are unstoppable!""We will move the mountains!""Future will be amazing!"

So we make plans and share common dreams. We even try new things. We love the unknown and novelty. And together, they're even better.

Then, reality hits. The plans and dreams didn't work out. Routine replaced the unknown, and boredom replaced excitement. When dopamine says goodbye, most relationships end.

And only people who appreciate the boring routines build long-lasting, deep relationships.

4. Dopamine release comes from a mismatch with expectations.

Let's say you got a 10% raise. Are you happy or not?

It depends on your expectations. If you didn't ask for a raise, but your boss decided to reward your work, you'd be positively surprised. That would make you happy.

But if you worked hard to get the promotion. You knew more work and stress were coming. You expected a 30% raise. But your boss clarifies the promotion offers only a 10% raise. You're deeply disappointed.

10% is 10%, right? Not for our favorite molecule!

A positive surprise creates dopamine spikes.

Final Thoughts

"Value is not distributed equally." Tiago Forte.

Here's a little secret. I've only finished the first chapter. It was dense with new information. I'm not expecting the book to keep that level of novelty.

But I'll be happy if it proves me wrong.

The dopamine will make me happy :)

2 Quotes

• "Short-term intensity cannot replace long-term commitment. Many crucial changes take place over long periods of time. Physiologically, it’s impossible to become great overnight." David Shenk, The Genius In All of Us

• "The reason we’re all so miserable may be because we’re working so hard to avoid being miserable." Anna Lembke, Dopamine Nation

A Neuroscience Fact: All Animals Produce Dopamine.

Every mammal, reptile, bird, or fish has dopamine in the brain.

But humans produce much more of it. If we didn't, we would still be cavemen. Because of dopamine, we started building better shelters and tools.

So I've been asking myself: Is our intelligence the result of higher dopamine levels?

I'm still looking for the answer.

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

Keep your brain in mind.

Kris

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