FoundMyFitness #091 Andrew Huberman, PhD: How to Improve Motivation & Focus By Leveraging Dopamine
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Jun 12, 2024 
Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neurobiologist and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast, dives deep into the dopamine system's role in motivation and focus. He explores concepts like dopamine dynamics and its effects on procrastination. The conversation touches on the dangers of effortless dopamine peaks, smartphone impacts, and how exercise can boost dopamine levels. Huberman also discusses innovative techniques like visualization to overcome procrastination and emphasizes the importance of balancing social media use for mental health.
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Rewarding Effort
- Attach reward to effort itself; dopamine release during effort is generally positive.
- Post-event lows are often due to fatigue and a shift in arousal state, not necessarily dopamine depletion.
Motivation Warm-up
- If you struggle with motivation, accept an initial 5–10 minute warm-up period for focus circuits to activate.
- Realize that instant gratification from technology can hinder your brain's ability to work through initial friction.
Rewarding Effort
- Attach reward to the effort process itself.
- When things get hard, tell yourself the difficulty signifies progress.