Dopamine: The Currency of Motivation
(and how we're spending it wrong)
Lately, I keep hearing about this tiny but mighty molecule, so I dove into a couple of books to see what the hype was about. Turns out, dopamine isn’t just a big deal—it’s the deal. Now, I can’t unsee it. The world around us is practically designed to hijack our dopamine system, trapping us in cycles of craving, chasing, and crashing.
This little neurotransmitter runs the show when it comes to motivation, pleasure, and reward. If you’ve ever felt the irresistible urge to check your phone one more time, stayed up way too late binge-watching even when you knew better, or felt that addictive thrill of a package arriving at your doorstep, you’ve felt dopamine at work. Here’s the thing—dopamine isn’t really about pleasure. It’s about wanting. And understanding that difference? It changes everything.
What is Dopamine, and Why Do We Have It?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger in your brain that helps drive motivation, focus, and learning. It’s often called the “feel-good” chemical, but that’s misleading. It’s less about feeling good and more about anticipating feeling good. It’s what gets you out of bed, chasing goals, and seeking rewards.
From an evolutionary perspective, dopamine kept our ancestors alive. It rewarded them for hunting, gathering, seeking shelter, and forming social bonds. The problem? In today’s world, we’ve hacked dopamine. We’ve found ways to get huge spikes of it with little effort—scrolling, drinking, shopping, watching—but these shortcuts come with a cost.
The Slow Burn vs. The Quick Hit
Not all dopamine hits are created equal. In Dose: The New Science of Dopamine, Dr. Anna Lembke explains how modern society has turned dopamine into an addictive loop, where we chase quick highs only to crash afterward, leaving us feeling worse than before.
Here’s the difference:
The Quick High (and Hard Crash):
These activities give you a big dopamine spike but deplete your system quickly, leaving you feeling drained, irritable, or even anxious. Over time, they make your brain less sensitive to dopamine, meaning you need more stimulation to feel okay. This can look like:
Mindless scrolling (dopamine drip with each new post)
Alcohol and drugs (artificial spikes, big crashes)
Pornography (high-intensity stimulation, numbing over time)
Online shopping (the thrill of the purchase, then regret or emptiness)
The Slow, Sustainable Wave:
Then there’s the better way to get dopamine—the slow-building wave that rises gently and sustains energy, focus, and joy over time. These activities don’t just feel good; they make you more resilient to stress and cravings. Think:
Exercise (dopamine release and long-term mood boost)
Sunlight and fresh air (regulates dopamine naturally)
Deep conversations and connection (social bonding fuels sustained motivation)
Creative work or learning something new (dopamine through mastery, not shortcuts)
Rewiring Your Dopamine System
If you’ve ever felt like nothing excites you anymore, or that you constantly need more stimulation just to feel okay, your dopamine system might be burned out. The good news? You can reset it.
Take a break from the quick highs. Even a short detox from social media, shopping, or processed entertainment can help restore balance. Try it tonight. Watch a show without also scrolling your phone.
Lean into the slow-burn activities. Work out even when you don’t feel like it. Get sunlight first thing in the morning. Make your bed or tidy a room when you are feeling a little “itchy” or bored. Call a friend instead of scrolling.
Find joy in effort, not just reward. Dopamine isn’t just about achieving something—it’s about pursuing something meaningful.
You don’t need to stop pursuing dopamine. You need a better relationship with it. The way to get there? By choosing the slow, steady waves over the quick, fleeting hits.