The dopamine system gets activated when we anticipate rewards like having sex, eating ice-cream, or achieving a goal; and this system is responsible for our sense of pleasure and motivation. Rick Rubin has a book coming out soon called "The Creative Act".
The speaker discusses the difficulty in defining and capturing the concept of creativity in neuroscience, and how it stems from the emotional and intuitive nature of the process.
In this podcast, the speaker discusses the challenges of having friends with drug or alcohol addiction and the paradox of hearing them frequently talk about their recovery. They mention how people with severe addiction often crave extreme intensity and highlights the role of oxytocin in human pair bonding and relationships.
In order to achieve long-term goals successfully, it is important to balance pleasure and pain by engaging in practices such as mindful living and getting a good night's sleep, developing a sense of excitement for what's in front of you, and extending the positive phase of the dopamine release.
Dopamine is a neuromodulator that determines our motivation, excitement, and willingness to pursue things. Its level in our system is the primary determinant of our drive and energy.
This podcast episode explores the connection between positive thinking and dopamine release in the brain, and how this can lead to increased motivation to achieve goals with greater probability of success.