Changing your focus to more effectively reach your goals!

Putting it all together - Time management

Hello fellow AlzFighters,

Nurse Marla here. It's that time of the year.. Resolutions! Yak! I loathe the concept in some ways. Don't get me wrong. I love the idea of the fresh start. However, the thing that I think sets us up to fail is the unspoken reality that many Resolutions are broken within weeks and made again each year. What we need is a new WAY to start a habit. A way to hack the motivation struggle. Que the NAVY Seals and their ability to power through anything!

The concept of "Embrace the Suck" as described by Navy SEALs can indeed be viewed through the lens of its impact on the dopamine reward system. This mindset fundamentally rewires the brain's response to discomfort and adversity, influencing the release and regulation of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, reward, and pleasure.

Dopamine and the Reward System: Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter involved in the brain's reward system. It plays a central role in motivating behavior, reinforcing reward-related activities, and regulating mood and cognition. In the context of discomfort and adversity, the dopamine system is intricately linked to an individual's response to challenges and the ability to persevere through adversity.

Embracing the adversity mindset and Dopamine Regulation:

1. Reframing Discomfort: This mindset involves a significant reframing of discomfort and adversity. Rather than experiencing these challenges as purely negative or aversive, individuals who embrace the suck shift their perspective to view these difficulties as opportunities for growth, learning, and personal development. This cognitive shift triggers a reshaping of the brain's response to discomfort, influencing dopamine release.

2. Adaptive Response: When individuals consciously embrace discomfort and adversity, they are effectively training their brains to respond adaptively to challenging situations. This adaptive response involves recalibrating the dopamine reward system to find motivation and satisfaction in persevering through difficulties rather than seeking immediate relief or escape from discomfort.

3. Delayed Gratification: Embracing the adversity entails an acceptance of delayed gratification—the willingness to endure short-term discomfort in pursuit of long-term goals. This perspective fosters a reconfiguration of the dopamine system, emphasizing the reward associated with persistence, resilience, and progress over the immediate relief of avoiding discomfort.

4. Self-Efficacy and Mastery: By persevering through challenging experiences, you can experience a sense of mastery and self-efficacy. These feelings of accomplishment and competence activate the brain's dopamine pathways, reinforcing the belief that effort and perseverance lead to tangible rewards, thereby influencing future motivation and behavior.

Benefits and Implications:

1. Enhanced Resilience: By rewiring the brain's response to discomfort and adversity, individuals can develop heightened resilience and mental fortitude. The recalibration of dopamine responses supports a redefined sense of reward, reinforcing the value of persistence and determination in the face of challenges.

2. Sustainable Motivation: The reorientation of the dopamine system through the embrace of discomfort fosters sustainable motivation. Rather than relying on fleeting or external rewards, individuals find intrinsic satisfaction in the process of confronting and overcoming adversity, leading to sustained motivation and goal pursuit.

3. Neuroplasticity and Adaptation: Promotes neuroplastic changes in the brain, reflecting its capacity for adaptation and growth. This adaptive response influences the dopamine reward system, shaping long-term cognitive and behavioral patterns associated with resilience and perseverance.

Soooooo that probably sounds great in theory, but what about in reality.!?

So I gave it a try. I changed my focus from just getting through it and the dopamine hit from seeing the workout post on Facebook to pushing myself to have good form, and how awesome it feels to push your body to the next level. Instead of snarling out the last seconds of my plank hold, I felt strong and capable and excited about my next work out.

Doh! That's what all trainers try to motivate you to do..proper form and push your body to its full potential without injuries. Hey we might be onto something.!

I’m still going to do a new year's resolution. This year however, it's to make total Health my habit, but with a growth /embrace the adversity mindset.

Woo hoo! Happy new year 🎉 🎉!