The Daily Motivation How To Reset Your Brain's Reward System & Never Feel Empty Again | Andrew Huberman
Sep 6, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist, unpacks the intricacies of the brain's reward systems. He explores how addiction narrows our pleasures and leads to feelings of emptiness. Huberman highlights the importance of balancing dopamine, which pushes us toward external goals, with serotonin, which fosters contentment in the present. He reveals how practicing gratitude serves as a biological reset and can rewire our approach to satisfaction, helping us navigate life's highs and lows more effectively.
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Dopamine Fuels Pursuit And Narrows Pleasure
- Dopamine spikes when unexpected or highly wanted events occur, giving immediate energy and motivation.
- Addiction narrows sources of dopamine, so recovery requires expanding rewarding experiences again.
Addiction Shrinks Reward Sources
- Addiction is a progressive narrowing of what brings pleasure, focusing dopamine on fewer stimuli.
- Relief from addiction often involves expanding appreciation and diversifying sources of reward.
Use Gratitude To Convert Dopamine Into Momentum
- Cultivate gratitude to convert dopamine from an endpoint into propulsion for future goals.
- Appreciate what you have to avoid perpetual emptiness after achieving big goals.