Overcome External Rewards to Achieve Your Goals | Andrew Huberman

Summary

The video script delves into the influence of dopamine on our perception of time and intrinsic motivation. It discusses the detrimental effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic enjoyment, as illustrated by the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. The script emphasizes the importance of cultivating a growth mindset and accessing the rewards from effort itself, rather than external incentives, to enhance performance and efficiency. It suggests that associating effort with internal pleasure can lead to increased dopamine release, making challenging activities more enjoyable and sustainable.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Children who enjoy drawing may lose interest if extrinsic rewards, like gold stars, are introduced and then removed.
• 🔄 Intrinsic versus extrinsic reinforcement: External rewards can reduce the intrinsic pleasure of an activity.
• 📉 Dopamine affects our perception of time and pleasure, with rewards at the end diminishing the enjoyment of the activity itself.
• 🧠 The antithesis of growth mindset: Focusing solely on end rewards can make activities less enjoyable and more challenging over time.
• 🚀 Growth mindset involves finding reward in the effort itself, which enhances performance and motivation.
• 💪 Engaging the prefrontal cortex helps in associating effort with pleasure, even when the activity is challenging or painful.
• 🧬 Dopamine release during effort boosts energy, focus, and makes activities more sustainable.
• ⚖️ Balancing dopamine: Avoid spiking dopamine before or after activities to sustain motivation and enjoyment from the effort itself.
• 🔄 Repetition and practice in finding reward in effort can make this mindset reflexive and applicable to various challenges.
• 🏆 Focus on the process rather than the end goal to maintain motivation and enhance long-term performance.

Q & A

How does dopamine affect our perception of time and effort?

Dopamine is linked to our perception of time, and when we work hard for a reward that comes afterward, it can make the hard work more challenging and make us less likely to engage in hard work in the future. The dopaminergic circuits interpret this as doing the activity for the reward, not because of enjoyment, which can lower the baseline of dopamine and extend the time bin of the perceived experience.

What is the Stanford experiment with children drawing and what was its outcome?

The Stanford experiment involved children who enjoyed drawing. Researchers gave them rewards like gold stars for their drawings. When the rewards stopped, the children's intrinsic motivation to draw on their own decreased, demonstrating the impact of extrinsic reinforcement on intrinsic enjoyment.

What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic reinforcement?

Intrinsic reinforcement comes from the enjoyment of the activity itself, while extrinsic reinforcement involves external rewards given for performing an activity. The script suggests that extrinsic rewards can diminish the intrinsic pleasure of an activity by associating the activity with the reward rather than the enjoyment of the activity itself.

How does focusing on the end reward affect our experience of an activity?

Focusing on the end reward can make the activity feel more like a means to an end, reducing the enjoyment during the process. It can also make the activity feel more painful and less efficient, as the neural circuits for dopamine and reward are less active during the activity itself.

What is the growth mindset and how does it relate to effort and dopamine?

The growth mindset, a concept developed by Carol Dweck, is about striving to be better and enjoying the process of improvement. It aligns with the idea of accessing dopamine release from effort itself, rather than from external rewards, which can lead to better performance and a more positive experience.

How can we cultivate a growth mindset and access dopamine from effort?

Cultivating a growth mindset involves learning to find pleasure in the effort and process, rather than just the outcome. This can be achieved by engaging the prefrontal component of the mesolimbic circuit and telling oneself that the effort is pleasurable, even when it's physically challenging.

What are the benefits of associating effort with an internally generated reward system?

Associating effort with an internally generated reward system can lead to a reflexive dopamine release from the effort itself, making the activity more enjoyable and efficient. It also helps in building a stronger connection between the effort and the pleasure derived from it, enhancing performance and reducing the need for external stimuli to initiate or continue the activity.

Why is it important not to spike dopamine levels before or after engaging in effort?

Spike dopamine levels before or after engaging in effort can interfere with the natural dopamine release that should occur during the effort. This can prevent the association of pleasure with the effort itself and undermine the ability to develop a growth mindset and enjoy the process.

Who is David Goggins and what does he exemplify in terms of effort and reward?

David Goggins is a former Navy SEAL who has made a career out of sharing his process of turning effort into reward. He exemplifies the ability to access pleasure from effort, which is a powerful aspect of our dopaminergic circuitry and is accessible to everyone.

How can we use the concept of effort as a reward in moments of intense friction?

In moments of intense friction, we can tell ourselves that the effort is by choice and that we love it, even if it feels painful. This reframing can help evoke an increase in dopamine release later, increasing the baseline in dopamine and making the effort feel more pleasurable over time.

What evolutionary advantage does the ability to find pleasure in effort provide?

The ability to find pleasure in effort has likely been an evolutionary advantage, as it would have motivated our ancestors to engage in activities like foraging, hunting, and gathering, despite the physical demands and exhaustion, ensuring survival and adaptation.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Dopamine and Intrinsic Motivation

This paragraph discusses the impact of dopamine on our perception of time and motivation. It explains that working hard for a delayed reward can make the task feel more challenging and less enjoyable, reducing the likelihood of engaging in similar hard work in the future. The concept of intrinsic versus extrinsic reinforcement is introduced, with an example of a Stanford experiment where children lost interest in drawing when the reward (a gold star) was removed. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the peaks and baselines of dopamine and how they affect our perception of activities and time. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the growth mindset, a concept developed by Carol Dweck, which encourages focusing on the effort itself as a means to achieve better performance.

05:03

🏆 Cultivating a Growth Mindset Through Effort

The second paragraph delves into the benefits of associating effort with an internally generated reward system, rather than relying on external rewards. It suggests that focusing solely on the end goal can make the process less enjoyable and more painful. The speaker advocates for developing a growth mindset by learning to find pleasure in the effort itself, which can be achieved by consciously telling oneself that the effort is pleasurable, even when it's physically challenging. The paragraph highlights the importance of not spiking dopamine levels before or after the effort, but instead, learning to derive dopamine from the effort itself. It concludes by mentioning David Goggins as an example of someone who has mastered turning effort into reward, and emphasizes that this ability is accessible to everyone, but requires practice and conscious effort.

Keywords

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with the brain's reward system. In the video, it is discussed as a key factor in how we perceive time and the pleasure derived from activities. The script explains that dopamine release can be influenced by both intrinsic enjoyment and extrinsic rewards, and it plays a critical role in the concept of effort and reward.

💡Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Reinforcement

Intrinsic reinforcement refers to the internal motivation to perform an activity for its inherent satisfaction, while extrinsic reinforcement involves external rewards. The script uses the example of children drawing for the joy of it versus drawing for a gold star to illustrate how external rewards can diminish intrinsic motivation.

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is a concept introduced by Carol Dweck, emphasizing the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. The video contrasts this with a focus on end rewards, suggesting that a growth mindset leads to better performance and a more enjoyable process of effort.

💡Effort

Effort in the script is portrayed as a critical component of personal development and the cultivation of a growth mindset. It is the act of striving and pushing oneself, which, when associated with intrinsic rewards, can lead to increased pleasure and dopamine release.

💡Reward

Rewards in the context of the video are both the outcomes we seek and the internal feelings of satisfaction. The script discusses how focusing on end rewards can lead to a decrease in the pleasure of the activity itself, whereas internalizing the reward of effort can enhance the experience.

💡Perception of Time

The perception of time is influenced by dopamine levels, as explained in the script. When rewards are anticipated at the end of an activity, it can distort the experience of time, making the process seem longer and less enjoyable.

💡Dopaminergic Circuits

Dopaminergic circuits refer to the neural pathways involving dopamine. The script explains how these circuits are activated by rewards and can affect our motivation and the pleasure we derive from activities.

💡Mesolimbic Circuit

The mesolimbic circuit is a part of the brain's reward system, which includes the forebrain. The video mentions this circuit in the context of cultivating a growth mindset and accessing the pleasure from effort through self-motivation and self-talk.

💡Friction

Friction in the script symbolizes the challenges and difficulties encountered during the process of effort. It is suggested that learning to associate friction with internal rewards can lead to an increase in dopamine release and a more positive experience.

💡End Goal

The end goal is the final reward or achievement one is striving for. The video argues that focusing solely on the end goal can detract from the enjoyment of the process and make the activity feel more like a chore.

💡Dopamine Release

Dopamine release is the process by which dopamine is made available in the brain, often associated with pleasure and reward. The script discusses how dopamine release can be influenced by effort and the mindset with which one approaches activities.

Highlights

Dopamine's influence on time perception and the challenge of working hard for delayed rewards.

Stanford's classic experiment showing how rewarding children for drawing reduced their intrinsic motivation.

The concept of intrinsic versus extrinsic reinforcement and its impact on pleasure derived from activities.

How dopaminergic circuits work to associate less pleasure with activities that are rewarded externally.

The effect of dopamine peaks and baselines on the cognitive interpretation of engaging in activities for rewards.

The relationship between dopamine, time perception, and the extension of the time bin in activities with delayed rewards.

The dissociation of neural circuits for dopamine and reward during activities focused on end rewards.

The antithesis of a growth mindset and the importance of focusing on effort rather than rewards.

Carol Dweck's growth mindset theory and its impact on performance and the cultivation of effort-focused behaviors.

The neural mechanism of cultivating a growth mindset through accessing rewards from effort and doing.

The benefits of evoking dopamine release from the friction and challenge of engaging in effortful activities.

The negative effects of focusing solely on end goals and how it can make activities feel more painful and less efficient.

The importance of not layering in other sources of dopamine to access the starting line or continue effortful activities.

How to attach the feeling of friction and effort to an internally generated reward system for sustained motivation.

The evolutionary significance of accessing pleasure from effort in our dopaminergic circuitry and its accessibility to all.

Strategies to prevent interference with dopamine release from effort, such as not spiking dopamine before or after the effort.

The example of David Goggins, illustrating the process of turning effort into reward through mental reframing.

The historical reverence for individuals who could endure exhausting activities for the benefit of their community.

Transcripts

because of the way that dopamine relates

to our perception of time

working hard at something for sake of a

reward that comes afterward

can make the hard work much more

challenging and make us much less likely

to lean into hard work in the future let

me give you a couple examples by way of

data and experiments there's a classic

experiment done actually at Stanford

many years ago in which children in

Nursery School and kindergarten

Drew pictures and they drew pictures

because they like to draw

the researchers took kids that liked to

draw

and they started giving them a reward

for drawing the reward generally was a

gold star or something that a young

child would find rewarding

then they stopped giving them the gold

star

and what they found is the children had

a much lower tendency

to draw on their own

no reward now remember this was an

activity that prior to receiving a

reward the children intrinsically

enjoyed and selected to do

no one was telling them to draw

what this relates to is so-called

intrinsic versus extrinsic reinforcement

when we receive rewards even if we give

ourselves rewards for something

we tend to associate less pleasure with

the actual activity itself that evoked

the reward now that might seem

counterintuitive but that's just way the

way that these dopaminergic circuits

work

and now understanding these Peaks and

baselines in dopamine which I won't

review again

this should make sense

if you get a peak in dopamine from a

reward it's going to lower your Baseline

and the cognitive interpretation

is that you didn't really do the

activity because you enjoyed the

activity you did it for the reward now

this doesn't mean all rewards of all

kinds are bad but it's also important to

understand that dopamine controls our

perception of time when and how much

dopamine we experience is the way that

we carve up what we call our experience

of time when we engage in an activity

let's say school or hard work of any

kind or exercise

because of the reward we are going to

give ourselves a receive at the end the

trophy the Sunday the meal whatever it

happens to be

we actually are extending the time bin

over which we are analyzing or

perceiving that experience

and because the reward comes at the end

we start to dissociate the neural

circuits for dopamine and reward that

would have normally been active during

the activity

and because it all arrives at the end

over time we have the experience of less

and less pleasure from that particular

activity while we're doing it

this is the antithesis of growth mindset

my colleague at Stanford Carol dweck as

many of you know has come up with this

incredible

Theory and principle and it actually

goes beyond theory in principle called

growth mindset which is this striving to

be better to be in this mindset of I'm

not there yet but striving itself is

the end goal and that of course delivers

you to tremendous performance has been

observed over and over and over again

that people that have growth mindset

kids that have growth mindset end up

performing very well because they're

focused on the effort itself and all of

us can cultivate growth mindset the

neural mechanism of cultivating growth

mindset involves learning to access the

rewards from effort and doing and that's

hard to do because you have to engage

this prefrontal component of the

mesolimbic circuit you have to tell

yourself okay this effort is great this

effort is pleasureful even though you

might actually be in a state of physical

pain from the exercise or I can recall

this from college just feeling like I

wanted to get up from my desk but

forcing myself to study forcing myself

enforcing myself what you find over time

is that you can start to associate a

dopamine release you can evoke dopamine

release from the friction and the

challenge that you happen to be in you

completely eliminate the ability to

generate those circuits and the

rewarding process of being able to

reward friction while in effort

if you are focused only on the goal that

comes at the end because of the way that

dopamine marks time so if you say oh I'm

going to do this very hard thing and I'm

going to push and push and push and push

for that end goal that comes later

not only do you enjoy the process of

what you're doing less you actually make

it more painful while you're engaging in

it you make yourself less efficient at

it because if you were able to access

dopamine while in effort dopamine has

all these incredible properties of

increasing the amount of energy in our

body and in our mind our ability to

focus by way of dopamine's conversion

into epinephrine but also you are

undermining your ability to lean back

into that activity the next time the

next time you need

twice as much coffee and three times as

much loud music and four times as much

energy drink and the social connection

just to get out the door in order to do

the run or to study so what's more

beneficial in fact can serve as a

tremendous amplifier on all Endeavors

that you engage in

especially hard Endeavors is to a not

start layering in other sources of

dopamine in order to get to the starting

line not layering in other sources of

dopamine in order to be able to continue

but rather

to subjectively start to attach the

feeling of friction and effort to an

internally generated reward system and

this is not meant to be vague this is a

system that exists in your mind that

exists in the minds of humans for

hundreds of thousands of years by which

you're not just pursuing the things that

are innately pleasureful food sex warmth

water when you're thirsty but the beauty

of this misolimbic reward pathway that I

talked about earlier is that it includes

the forebrain so you can tell yourself

the effort part is the good part I know

it's painful I know this doesn't feel

good but I'm focused on this I'm going

to start to access the reward you will

find the rewards meaning the dopamine

release inside of effort if you repeat

this over and over again and what's

beautiful about it is that it starts to

become reflexive for all types of effort

when we focus only on the trophy only on

the grade only on the win as the reward

you undermine that entire process

so how do you do this you do this in

those moments of the most intense

friction you tell yourself this is very

painful and because it's painful it will

evoke an increase in dopamine release

later meaning it will increase my

Baseline in dopamine but you also have

to tell yourself that in that moment

you are doing it by choice and you're

doing it because you love it and I know

that sounds like lying to yourself and

in some ways it is lying to yourself but

it's lying to yourself in the context of

a truth which is that you want it to

feel better you want it to feel even

pleasureful now this is very far and

away different from thinking about the

reward that comes at the end the hot

fudge Sunday for after you cross the

finish line and you can replace hot

fudge Sunday with whatever reward

happens to to be appealing to you we

Revere people who are capable of doing

what I'm describing David Goggins comes

to mind as a really good example many of

you are probably familiar with David

Goggins former Navy SEAL who essentially

has made a post-military career career

out of

explaining and sharing his process of

turning the effort into the reward there

are many other examples of this too of

course

throughout evolutionary history there's

no question that we revered people who

were willing to go out and forage and

hunt and gather and caretake

in ways that other members of our

species probably found exhausting and

probably would have preferred to just

put their feet up or soak them in a cool

stream rather than continue to forage

the ability to access this pleasure from

effort

aspect of our dopaminergic circuitry is

without question the most powerful

aspect of dopamine in our biology of

dopamine and the beautiful thing is it's

accessible to all of us but just to

highlight the things that can interfere

with and prevent you from getting

dopamine release from effort itself

don't Spike dopamine prior to engaging

in effort

and don't Spike dopamine after engaging

in effort learn to spike your dopamine

from effort itself