Antici- (the wait is over!)

Today's post is based on a podcast from The Art of Manliness, but before I get into that let me complain for a minute about millennials. First off, let's stop complaining about them! It's not their fault that they're the way they are. They were raised that way. Who insisted that every child got a trophy just for participating. We did! The parents of the millennials made them the way they are. And why did we do that? Because history repeats itself...we were destined to raise our kids that way. See this post for more on that topic.

The millennials were raised when there was very little to anticipate...they had access to instant communications, instant information, instant recognition and instant ketchup!

In my opinion, the single greatest problem in society is the squeeze ketchup bottle!

The podcast on AoM is about dopamine and the purposes that it really serves. So, what does dopamine have to do with anticipation? I'm glad you asked!

Why do you feel so motivated and excited about tackling a new project at first, but then get bored and abandon it?

Why does passionate love quickly turn into ambivalence? 

Why does it feel like you had more zest for life and work in your twenties than in your thirties and forties? (or your sixties!)

Much of the answer can be found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine.

That’s the case today’s guests make. Their names are Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long, and they’re the co-authors of a new book entitled The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity. Daniel is a professor of psychiatry at George Washington University and Michael is a trained physicist turned writer. In The Molecule of More, they team up to explore a chemical that compels us towards achieving our goals, but also towards addiction. 

We begin our conversation discussing the situations in which dopamine plays a role in our lives, how it’s made, and how dopamine levels change throughout our lifetimes. We then discuss how dopamine drives our endless search for novelty, and the problems this can cause if we don’t learn to how to switch from the excitement of anticipating something, to enjoying it in the here and now. Daniel and Michael then walk us through dopamine’s role in addiction to things like porn and drugs and the differences between “desire dopamine” and “control dopamine.” Along the way, they share insights on how to harness your dopamine so it works towards your greater goals, rather than against them.

If you love the thrill of the chase, but have a hard time transitioning from pursuing something to actually building it, this is the podcast for you.

When it comes down to it, dopamine is the brain chemical that allows you to maximize future resources. Or it makes you want to do things that ensure your survival. It's triggered by an external trigger that is good and unexpected. If it's expected, it won't trigger the dopamine. It's the anticipation that makes you feel good...not actually getting something. That's also why Friday is most people's favorite day of the week, since you're anticipating the entire weekend. When you actually enter the weekend, the dopamine is reduced or goes away.

This is also why SendOutCards says that the unexpected card is the most powerful.

Here are the highlights from the podcast:

• Two ways in which we interact with the world, and why they’re important to understand
• What exactly is dopamine? What are some misunderstandings about it?
• Why “Reward Prediction Error” fuels dopamine production 
• Dopamine’s effects in the early stages of dating 
• Why Mick Jagger and George Costanza are the same 
• Are some people more sensitive to dopamine than others?
• What are some characteristics of people who are especially sensitive to dopamine?
• Desire dopamine vs control dopamine 
• How much can you influence/control the flow of dopamine in your system?
• Why taking Adderall when not medically needed is a bad idea 
• Does dopamine sensitivity/production change over one’s lifetime?
• The other neurotransmitters that play a role in our lives
• The role of novelty and new experiences in relationships
• Wants vs likes 
• Dopamine and addiction 
• You are not your dopamine circuits 
• Triggers and opposing/avoiding your desire dopamine 
• Dopamine best practices — getting the best of it while mitigating downsides 
• The value of hobbies

There's a lot more to dopamine that I can cover here, so take about an hour and listen to the podcast. I'm going to try to get the book from the library, so you may be seeing more on the subject in the future.

Interesting days

Today - Creamsicle Day and Social Security Day

Tomorrow - Relaxation Day, Acadian Day, Check The Chip Day and Lemon Meringue Pie Day

Next Tuesday - Poet’s Day, Spumoni Day and Senior Citizens Day

September 14 - Eat a Hoagie Day, Hug Your Boss Day, Gobstopper Day and Cream Filled Doughnut Day