Achieve Your Goals: How to Engage Your Brain to Help You Get Motivated and Stay Motivated
Posted: Saturday, January 10, 2009
by Val Silver
TapInfinity
Motivation is a key factor in any successful goal-setting plan. Achieving personal goals, self-improvement plans and life goals depend on our ability to maintain a sustained and consistent effort.
Research suggests that a powerful ally in the brain known as the neurotransmitter, dopamine can help. When we understand a bit of brain chemistry and consistently use some simple goal-setting techniques, we can put this knowledge to work for us.
Some Basic Concepts:
- Dopamine plays a role in the part of the brain associated with pleasure and pain. When we eat or have a romantic encounter, for example, the brain feels rewarded and this chemical is released. We experience feelings of pleasure and improved mood.
- When the brain feels cut off from a rewarding experience, production decreases and we feel anxiety and fear.
- When you receive an unexpected reward or successfully pursue someone or something, dopamine levels rise. They stop rising when the goal is achieved.
- When an expected reward is not received or you fail to realize your desired outcome, levels plummet.
- Researchers believe that dopamine is involved in sending a signal to the parts of the brain responsible for establishing new behavior patterns. The brain wants you to learn and repeat behaviors it views as positive or rewarding. By making you feel good, your brain teaches you to repeat behaviors that created the feeling.
- This sense of pleasure acts as a motivator that keeps us focused on our goals. The chemical continues to be released so long as we keep our attention on the goal and pursue it.
- Researchers have found that when we set a goal, regardless of its size or expected delivery date, the brain takes possession of it as if it is already ours. When we act as if we already have what we are working towards, we reinforce this.
- Once the brain claims ownership of the object of our desire, it can become an obsession. We crave the dopamine and the mood lift it brings. Your brain is now working powerfully to motivate you to pursue your goal.
- The flip side of the coin is that this makes it more difficult when you wish to eliminate behaviors the brain views as rewarding. For example, nicotine and cocaine keep dopamine levels in the brain elevated. Your brain sees this as a reward and taught you to continue the behavior. It wants to avoid the anxiety and negative feelings associated with losing what it believes it already possesses.
How this understanding works for you:
- Choose something you truly desire and feel motivated to accomplish. In order for this to work, the goal must be important to you.
- You must be willing to invest yourself in the process and have a reasonable expectation of achieving your desired outcome.
- Give yourself a few weeks to adjust to changes. It's believed that it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. If we were to apply our dopamine model to this, we could say it takes the brain some time to view your new behaviors as rewarding. Then it will release the chemical in response to the new behavior so you keep repeating it.
- Break your big goal into small, achievable goals that require you to do some work. You may choose to set weekly or monthly objectives. This gives your brain several items to own instead of just one, increasing its investment in the process. It's also easier for your brain to adjust to smaller changes.
- Have a daily to-do list. Do something every day to support your intentions. Include the little items. Cross them off as you complete them. Each item represents something for the brain to own and pursue. It then becomes a reward when crossed off. You can give yourself other rewards as well, so long as they don't sabotage your desired outcome. Determine the reward in advance so your brain can look forward to it. Also include a few spontaneous rewards.
- Write your to-do list the night before to engage your brain before you even wake up in the morning. This is the part of the pursuit.
- Evaluate your progress and make changes in your plan as needed. If you are asking too much of yourself, you will not view this as achievable and may experience anxiety or feel as though you failed. Likewise, be sure to stretch yourself a little so your brain experiences the thrill of the pursuit.
As you can see, these are powerful tips, that when used correctly, can help you achieve your goals. With the help of scientific research and a brain chemical known as dopamine, achieving your goal can be easier and you may just accomplish more than you ever dreamed possible.
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More commentsKeeping a balance between maintaining focus and optimizing brain stimulation is quite a challenge. When I feel a "pain" across my forehead I suspect I have just had a slight overdose of the latter.Hi Gerry, Yes, I hear you. I'm glad you can recognize your body's way of showing you it's "over-optimized". Guess it's all that article writing!!
Hey, thanks for checking out the website. It's a work in progress. Hope you found it useful. Would you please let me know if you got the auto-responder email with the welcome message. It's been acting up and I don't trust it! Thanks, Val
Hi Val!Super nice article about goal setting! Without even the most minute form of goal setting on an individual's part nothing would get accomplished. Best to you!Thanks Thom. Yes, you're right. We set goals all the time without even realizing it. Val
Val,As always, such an informative write.And I'm redy with a notepad to take notes on a bit more of this: "...When we eat or have a romantic encounter, for example, the brain feels rewarded and this chemical is released..." WOW. What type of foods?Hi Ronyae,I'm not sure there's an exact answer to this but I think you could answer that in two ways.1) If you are hungry and your body is "in pursuit" of food, then any food that satisfies the hunger will do it.2)Any food that you are longing for or think of as a reward or associate with pleasure. Is it any wonder we crave the foods we do?This is just my opinion, hope it helps. ValWOW. It's definitely a wonder, Val. Definitely a wonder.ThanksHi Ronyae,
Did a bit of research to your question. Protein-rich foods that contain the amino acid tyrosine help make dopamine. Sugary and refined foods, caffeine, alcohol deplete it. This is not a straight forward process and depends on what else you ate with it. For example, if you want the increase in alertness from food, eat the protein away from carbs. I'm still thinking dopamine activity would increase if you are anticipating a "reward" of a sugary processed treat, even if ultimately quantities of it brings you down. -a question for the scientists!.
Wow - good information, I can see how the "Law of Attraction" can work from understanding the Dopamine factor. I've been attempting some new things in my life and actually found this to be encouraging insight. Thanks!Hi Sue,
I was thinking about that too as I was researching this- at least that it plays a part. Thanks for sharing. Val
Loved your use of the brain research science info - and enjoyed the article - joined your fan club and look forward to more insights. Thanks for writing this - bye, CherylThanks Cheryl, appreciate your comments. I find this all very interesting and am looking forward to tapping into it. Val
A very informative article,it showed that you did your homework. Thank you for sharing.Thanks David. Fortunately I enjoy researching topics that interest me so it was fun. Val
Wonderful article, from such an intelligent lady. You are right--I feel anxiety and fear when I think I might be missing a meal---just kidding. But I do hear where you're coming from. Motivation is the great equalizer for women in a man's world. Thanks for sharing.Have a blessed week.SandraThanks for your comments, Sandra. I hear you on the meal anxiety. Not to fear, I never miss one or the many snacks I enjoy in between. Val
Great article Val! I was just talking with a friend today in reference to this same subject. She shared with me how she's lost her motivation. Most times we depend on those chocolate bars to stimulate us back into motivation only later to find yourself sprawled across your computers keyboard. Yes, I'm talking about me! I definitely will pass this on to her and keep a copy for myself.DeborahHi Deborah-I am also a queen of chocolate, just ask my husband! But hey, let's not be hard on ourselves. Chocolate (dark) has lots of heart healthy antioxidants and stimulates some feel good brain chemicals like endorphins. So I say, an ounce a day keeps the doctor, and the psychiatrist away!Val
Amazing how God created us. Whenever someone mentions it takes 21 days to break or start a habbit, I am reminding of the story of when the angel Michael, wrestled with the prince of persia ( the devil ) for 21 days and then the prayer for God's will prevailed. I just wonder how closely those are related.Thanks for another inspiring article.Hi Teresa,That's a very interesting thought. Thanks for sharing it. ValYour welcome. Its never a thought I have taken to task and ran with, but it comes up every now and then. Maybe I need to do that sometime. I would be fun if for no other reason, it will send me deeper into the study of God's word :-)
Fabulous -- and right on time. I have a friend for whom this article will be the print version of the plan the friend has tried to affirm. Words count. They do make a difference. Thanks!Thanks Walter- hope your friend does well with his plans and this article helps. Val
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