40+ Fitness Podcast How to avoid failure disease with Dr. Kyra Bobinet
9 snips
Jul 22, 2025 Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a physician and behavioral expert, dives into the intriguing world of habit formation and motivation. She introduces the concept of 'failure disease' and discusses the brain's 'motivation kill switch,' the habenula, which affects our energy and drive. Listeners learn how learned helplessness can be reframed into motivation loss and the impact of social triggers like leaderboards on performance. Dr. Bobinet also shares her ITERATES framework, offering strategies for realistic goal-setting and cultivating lifelong wellness habits.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Learned Helplessness Is Motivation Loss
- Learned helplessness is better framed as motivation loss rather than a personal flaw.
- Dr. Kyra Bobinet says we lose motivation like losing breath, and it is reversible.
The Elephant That Forgot Its Strength
- Bobinet uses the elephant tied as a young animal to show how we stay stuck even as we grow stronger.
- The story illustrates how early learned limits create a lifelong disempowerment switch.
The Habenula: The Motivation Kill Switch
- The habenula is a brain region that acts as a motivation kill switch controlling mood and behavior.
- When it turns on it punishes us with failure feelings, driving emotional eating, poor sleep, and demotivation.
