Leverage Dopamine to Overcome Procrastination & Optimize Effort

Dopamine and Its Functions

• Dopamine: a neuromodulator 
  • Modulates or changes the electrical activity of other cells (neurons)
  • Can increase or decrease the activity of other neurons
• Five circuits within the brain that use dopamine as the primary neuromodulator 
  • Engage different but related functions

Dopamine Circuits in the Brain

• Nigrostriatal pathway
  • Originates in substantia nigra (back of the brain)
  • Releases dopamine in the striatum
  • Involved in movement, initiation of movements, and suppression of movements
• Mesolimbic pathway
  • Originates in ventral tegmental area (VTA)
  • Functions in partnership with nucleus accumbens
  • Projects to areas like the hypothalamus
  • Modulates output of basic functions for survival (e.g., body temperature, libido, hunger)
• Mesocortical pathway
  • Also originates in VTA and nucleus accumbens
  • Projects to the cortex
  • Involved in higher cognitive functions, decision-​​making, and emotional regulation

Dopamine’s Role in Motivation, Reward, and Confidence

• Dopamine dynamics: understanding what gives rise to peaks, troughs, and baseline levels of dopamine 
  • Baseline levels of dopamine relate to baseline levels of motivation and feelings of well-being
• Dopamine is critical for overcoming procrastination, ensuring ongoing motivation, and building confidence
• Understanding neural circuits and dopamine dynamics can help optimize mental health, physical health, and performance

Tools to Leverage Dopamine

• Practical, everyday examples and tools to adjust dopamine circuitry and levels
• Understanding the relationship between dopamine and motivation, reward, pleasure, and procrastination
• Learning how to ensure motivation on an ongoing basis and overcome sticking points

Dopamine Pathways and Motivation

• Mesocortical pathway projects to the prefrontal cortex 
  • Prefrontal cortex: area behind the forehead, expanded in humans compared to other species
  • Involved in planning, executing actions, making decisions, understanding context
  • Suppresses impulses and actions
• Dopamine’s role in the prefrontal cortex 
  • Activates or changes propensity to do certain things
  • Governs major choices in life, goals, and pursuits
• Other dopamine pathways in the brain 
  • Nigrostriatal pathway (movement)
  • Mesolimbic pathway (reward)
  • Tuberoinfundibular pathway (hormone regulation)
  • Retinal dopamine pathway (visual adaptation to light conditions)
• Focus on mesocortical pathway for motivation, procrastination, goal setting, and pursuit 
  • Dopamine release and recent dopamine history impact motivation levels
  • Neurons in the VTA and nucleus accumbens release dopamine into the prefrontal cortex
  • Prefrontal cortex ensures certain behaviors take place and others do not
• Dopamine peaks and baselines 
  • Peaks: triggered by behaviors, substances, food, etc.
  • Baseline: reservoir of dopamine, used to create peaks
  • Troughs: below baseline, dictate motivation levels
• Wave pool analogy 
  • Height and frequency of waves (dopamine peaks) impact baseline
  • Large, frequent waves lower baseline, while smaller or less frequent waves maintain baseline
  • Peaks and baseline are related, not independent
  • Troughs (bottom of the wave) also important for understanding motivation levels

  Dopamine and Desire

• Dopamine increases when we desire something 
• Released in anticipation of what we want
• Also related to our propensity to move and pursue goals

Reward Prediction Error

• Compares the dopamine experienced from the reward to the dopamine from the initial desire 
  • If the reward is as expected, dopamine returns to baseline
  • If the reward is better than expected, dopamine peaks higher
  • If the reward is worse than expected, dopamine drops below baseline

Craving and Pursuit

• Craving for things is not just about wanting them, but also about relieving the pain of not having them 
  • Developing awareness around this can help leverage the dopamine system to increase motivation

Dynamics of Dopamine Release

• Understanding the details of dopamine peaks, troughs, and baselines can help overcome procrastination and pursue goals
• Recent findings show that we are always looking for cues to determine if we are on the right path to achieve our goals 
  • We also set a mindset or context within our brains regarding our confidence or pessimism about achieving our goals

Importance of Understanding Dopamine Dynamics

• Vital for those who struggle with motivation and staying motivated
• Important for anyone with a psychological interest in understanding the brain’s reward system and motivation
  Understanding Motivation and Addiction
• People have different levels of motivation and ability to achieve goals 
• Dopamine system plays a significant role in motivation and addiction

Dopamine System and Goal Pursuit

• Stimulus: Cue that we’re likely to get what we want (e.g., seeing a deli or opening a food app) 
  • Increases dopamine, signaling we’re on the right path
• Motivation: Dopamine drops below baseline, triggering the desire to pursue the goal (e.g., walking to the deli or ordering through the app)
• Reward: Peak in dopamine when we achieve the goal (e.g., eating the sandwich) 
• Dopamine system learns from the entire process, including the contingencies between stimulus, motivation, and reward 
• This learning helps us understand addiction, motivation, and procrastination

Addiction and Dopamine

• Addiction involves dopamine and other systems (e.g., opioids)
• Example: Cocaine addiction 
  • Craving for the dopamine peak and associated feelings
  • Short time gap between stimulus (cocaine) and dopamine peak
  • High dopamine peak followed by a steep drop below baseline
  • Drop below baseline triggers desire for more cocaine, creating a vicious loop

Key Factors in Addiction

• Short duration between desire and effect (rewarding properties of dopamine) 
  • Shorter gaps make it harder to pursue longer-​​term goals
• Steepness of the rise in dopamine peak 
  • Faster and larger rise in dopamine leads to a deeper drop below baseline, triggering more desire and pursuit

Avoiding Addiction

• Be aware of the dangers of substances and behaviors that cause rapid, high dopamine peaks
• Focus on longer-​​term goals and the dopamine system’s ability to learn from the entire process of goal pursuit
  Dangers of Cocaine and Addiction
• Cocaine use can lead to financial, psychological, and physical problems 
• Dr. Anna Lembke’s book, Dopamine Nation, explores dopamine’s role in addiction 
  • Dopamine levels drop below baseline after drug use, taking longer to return to normal
  • Repeated drug use leads to lower dopamine peaks and deeper troughs, shifting the system towards pain and drug pursuit

Dopamine Peaks and Rates in Different Substances and Behaviors

• Baseline dopamine release: 3–4 neurons firing per second
• Anticipation of food: doubling of dopamine release
• Nicotine: 150% increase in dopamine neuron firing
• Cocaine: 1000% increase in dopamine release
• Methamphetamine: 1000% to 10,000% increase, depending on potency
• Caffeine, sex, and video games: varying levels of dopamine release, depending on individual preferences and experiences

Recovery from Addiction and Binding Behaviors

• Recovery often involves 30 days of complete abstinence, which can be painful and uncomfortable
• Some addictions require tapering off the substance or setting constraints around the behavior
• Binding behaviors involve engaging in addictive behaviors only in certain places and times
• Prefrontal cortex is trained to understand context-​​appropriate engagement in addictive behaviors

Leveraging Dopamine for Healthy Goal Pursuit

• Understanding dopamine dynamics can help in setting and pursuing adaptive goals in various areas of life
• A healthy baseline level of dopamine is necessary for motivation and goal pursuit
• Foundational practices to achieve a healthy baseline level of dopamine include: 
  • Regular upkeep and effort in daily life
  • Engaging in activities that promote mental and physical well-being
  • Avoiding excessive consumption of substances that cause extreme dopamine peaks and troughs
    Maintaining Baseline Dopamine Levels
• Baseline dopamine levels are crucial for motivation and goal-​​seeking behavior 
• Factors that help maintain baseline dopamine levels: 
  • Quality sleep: restores dopamine reserves, essential for considering goals
  • Non-​​sleep deep rest (NSDR): similar to yoga nidra, increases dopamine reserves by up to 65%
  • Nutrition: proper nutrients, especially tyrosine, are necessary for sufficient baseline dopamine
  • Morning sunlight exposure: increases cortisol and dopamine levels, leading to states of well-​​being and alertness
  • Regular exercise: both cardiovascular and resistance training help maintain elevated baseline dopamine levels

Genetic and Circumstantial Variation in Baseline Dopamine Levels

• Some individuals have naturally higher or lower baseline dopamine levels due to genetics or circumstances
• Everyone needs to engage in the foundational practices mentioned above to maintain healthy dopamine levels

Behavioral Techniques to Increase Baseline Dopamine Levels

• Baseline dopamine level increases are defined as those lasting for more than 1 hour
• Techniques to elevate baseline dopamine levels for longer periods of time: 
  • Cold water exposure: increases dopamine and other catecholamines (norepinephrine and epinephrine)

Resources and Tools

• Huberman Lab Sleep Toolkit: available at hubermanlab​.com
• NSDR (Non-​​Sleep Deep Rest) practices: available on YouTube
• Inside Tracker: personalized nutrition platform that analyzes blood and DNA data to help reach health goals (20% off at insidetracker​.com/​h​u​b​e​r​man)
  Dopamine and Deliberate Cold Exposure
• Dopamine can be increased for 2–4 hours, possibly up to 6 hours 
• Deliberate cold exposure increases dopamine for long periods of time 
  • Cold shower, ice bath, or cold plunge in the morning
  • Duration: 30 seconds to 2 minutes
  • Temperature: 37–55 degrees Fahrenheit (approach with caution)
  • Increases baseline dopamine levels significantly (double or more)
• Other approach: 60-​​degree Fahrenheit water up to the neck for 45–60 minutes 
  • Increases baseline dopamine levels for long periods of time
• Deliberate cold exposure should be done early in the day 
  • Can be combined with exercise and sunlight exposure

Prescription and Over-​​the-​​Counter Compounds for Dopamine

• Prescription drugs for increasing dopamine: Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Rmodafinil 
  • Effective in increasing motivation and attention
• Over-​​the-​​counter compounds: Ltyrosine, Mccunapurines 
  • Ltyrosine: rate-​​limiting enzyme for dopamine, found in pre-​​workout formulas
  • Mccunapurines: similar to L DOPA, increases alertness and mood, but causes peak-​​trough phenomenon
  • Ltyrosine more effective in increasing baseline dopamine levels

Ltyrosine and Cognitive Function

• Ltyrosine supplementation can increase circulating and available levels of dopamine 
  • Improves cognitive performance and physical output
• Two studies on Ltyrosine: 
  • Effective Tyrosine on Cognitive Function and Blood Pressure under Stress 
    • High dosages of Ltyrosine taken under stress can rescue cognitive function
  • Tyrosine Improves Working Memory in a Multitasking Environment 
    • Ltyrosine taken an hour before cognitive tasks improves working memory
    • Helps navigate multitasking environments, especially related to working memory
    • True under both stressful and non-​​stressful conditions
      L‑Tyrosine and Stress
• L‑Tyrosine can help under conditions of stress, such as sleep deprivation or psychological/​​physical stress 
• Studies used high dosages of L‑Tyrosine, but it is not recommended to follow those dosages 
  • Example: 100mg per kg of body weight, 1 hour prior to cognitive tasks
  • Lower dosages (500mg to 1.5g) taken 30–60 minutes before tasks can still increase baseline levels of dopamine and improve performance
• Start with the lowest possible dose (250–500mg) depending on body weight
• Combining L‑Tyrosine with caffeine or other stimulants can affect results
• Be aware of potential dopamine crashes after using L‑Tyrosine

Dopamine Troughs and Recovery

• After a peak experience, dopamine levels drop below baseline, creating a “trough”
• To recover from a trough, simply wait and allow the dopamine circuitry to replenish 
  • This involves restoring dopamine synthesis and the readily releasable pool of dopamine
  • Can take several days to replenish
• Leveraging pain and effort can help exit the trough and return to a higher baseline level

Pain-​​Effort Process for Motivation

• The pain-​​effort process can be used to accelerate progress towards goals and maintain motivation
• This process leverages well-​​defined mechanisms in biology related to addiction and recovery
• Can be applied to various contexts (school, relationships, work) for ongoing motivation and avoiding procrastination

Classic Experiment on Rewards and Motivation

• Stanford experiment observed children’s activities during free time 
  • Some children naturally chose to draw pictures
  • Researchers introduced rewards (gold/​​silver stars) for their artwork, increasing dopamine levels
  • Children enjoyed the activity more when rewarded
• When rewards were removed, researchers observed how much time children spent drawing 
  • Parallel experiments done with adults showed similar results
  • Surprising rewards for activities people already enjoy can increase pleasure and motivation
    Reward Prediction Error and Intrinsic Motivation
• Reward prediction error: difference between expected and actual reward 
• Study: children given rewards for an activity they already enjoyed 
  • Result: drop in total time spent on the activity after receiving rewards
  • Applies to various populations, cultures, and backgrounds
• Nervous system codes experiences into three categories: Yum, Yuck, or Meh
• Combining rewards with activities that are already enjoyable can lead to a drop in baseline dopamine 
  • Desire to engage in the activity eventually returns to normal

Balancing Dopamine Peaks and Troughs

• Be cautious about stacking dopamine-​​releasing behaviors or substances with activities you already enjoy
• Example: combining exercise with caffeine, supplements, and other dopamine-​​releasing substances 
  • Can lead to increased performance, but also troughs in energy and enthusiasm
• Adjusting the frequency and combination of dopamine-​​releasing substances can help maintain intrinsic motivation

Protecting Intrinsic Motivation

• Intrinsic motivation is the “holy grail” of human endeavors and behaviors 
  • No replacement for intrinsic motivation in achieving goals and enjoyment
• Avoid layering additional dopamine-​​releasing mechanisms or compounds on intrinsically enjoyable activities 
  • Helps maintain pleasure and motivation over time
• Tapping into intrinsic motivation is “magic” — but it’s actually science 
  • Involves circuits within us that allow us to identify goals, lean into effort, and persistently work towards them with pleasure

Conclusion

• Most people are not concerned about protecting the things they already enjoy
• Understanding the balance between dopamine peaks and troughs can help maintain intrinsic motivation and long-​​term enjoyment of activities
  Leveraging Dopamine for Motivation and Overcoming Procrastination
• Dopamine dynamics can help maintain motivation and overcome procrastination 
• Goal: Make effort the reward itself, turning friction into pleasure
• Growth mindset: Adopting the mindset that if you can’t do something well, you can’t do it well “yet”

Dealing with Lack of Motivation and Procrastination

• Check if you’re tending to foundational aspects of life and using tools to maintain motivation
• If still not motivated, use tools to overcome lack of motivation, procrastination, and overthinking

Understanding Dopamine Troughs and Peaks

• Dopamine troughs experienced as pain, craving, or wanting
• Troughs stimulate ongoing release of dopamine, providing motivation to seek goals
• Depth of trough proportional to height and steepness of dopamine peak
• Rate of getting out of trough proportional to steepness of trough

Overcoming Procrastination with Addiction Literature Findings

• To rebound out of a dopamine trough quickly, do something harder or more effortful than the current state
• Engage in an activity that puts the body and mind into a state of discomfort quickly (e.g., cold shower or cold immersion)
• This approach can help overcome procrastination and lack of motivation by leveraging the dopamine system’s response to what feels hard or easy in the moment

Note: When referring to “more painful” activities, it does not mean engaging in tissue-​​damaging or psychologically damaging behavior. The focus is on activities that create discomfort but are not harmful.
Pain, Dopamine, and Limbic Friction

• Pain can cause a rebound out of a dopamine trough faster than waiting for it to go away
• Limbic friction: dialogue between limbic system and forebrain 
  • Can be due to tiredness, requiring motivation to do something
  • Can be due to nervousness, requiring calming to do something

Overcoming Lack of Motivation and Procrastination

• Example: struggling to exercise regularly 
  • Typical advice: start with 1 or 5 minutes of exercise, use completion as a milestone
  • This can work, but may not be enough for some people
• Alternative: do something tangential to the goal that is worse than being unmotivated 
  • Must be safe but uncomfortable (e.g., cold water exposure)
  • Steepens the dopamine trough, leading to a faster return to baseline dopamine levels

Meditation as a Tool for Overcoming Procrastination

• Meditation does not increase dopamine levels per se
• However, meditation can be effortful and frustrating, especially for beginners 
  • This makes it a useful tool for overcoming procrastination and amotivation
• Engaging in a brief 5–10 minute meditation can help force the body and mind into a deeper state of pain and discomfort 
  • This steepens the dopamine trough, leading to a faster return to baseline dopamine levels

Creating a List of Effortful Activities

• Have a short list of about five different effortful (painful) activities to use when feeling amotivated or procrastinating 
  • Goal is not to accomplish something within the activity, but to force the body and mind into a deeper state of pain and discomfort
  • This helps return to baseline dopamine levels more quickly and robustly

Learning to Attach Reward to Effort

• The “Holy Grail” of motivation is learning to attach reward to the effort process itself 
  • This involves recognizing and experiencing the release of stress chemicals within the body
• Use various tools, including behavioral, nutritional, supplementation, and cognitive strategies, to support motivation and overcome procrastination