Welcome to Amplify with Jess Extra

“A show designed to help women get out of their head and into their zone of influence.”

Happy Monday, everyone! Here’s some food for thought to start your week.

Okay, so let’s nerd out for a second. Here’s a really interesting study on dopamine that completely changed the way I look at my work and my life. We often believe that we get that euphoric hit of dopamine we yearn for when we achieve the end result – maybe it’s a payout, a completed project, a promotion, a ceremony, or an award. But neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, who studies dopamine in the brain, discovered something different: we actually get that dopamine hit during the process, not at the end result.

So, the spike happens in anticipation of the result, not from the result itself. If happiness and satisfaction are found during the race, not at the finish line, that gives us permission to try and enjoy the process without gripping so tightly to the outcome – which, I know, is easier said than done.

But this also means that there isn’t just one singular outcome that brings happiness. There could be a range of outcomes we haven’t even thought of yet. And this is rewarding because, in our brain, one of the most important stops it makes is in the nucleus accumbens. When dopamine surges there, it triggers feedback for predicting rewards, leading to that euphoric feeling we often think only comes at the end.

Key Insight: It’s about predicting the rewards, not receiving them.

Another study on dopamine at Vanderbilt shows that we get that dopamine hit before we achieve the reward. This finding impacts how we think about fulfillment, showing that the outcomes aren’t where our happiness should lie – it’s the process of pursuing the goal, not achieving it.

If we focus all our time and energy on expecting happiness only at the result, we miss out on the feeling we’re likely already experiencing during the process. Perhaps you’ve felt more joy while planting flowers than when you stand back and admire the finished garden. When our brain detects that something important is about to happen, dopamine starts to kick in – not at the actual event but when it thinks something good is coming.

This “suspense” in dopamine is why social media sites use that pull-down-to-refresh feature. They want you to experience that dopamine rush while waiting for notifications. They could easily populate those notifications automatically, but the wait is part of the thrill.

What’s the Difference Between Go-Getters and “Slackers”?

Scientists at Vanderbilt also conducted a brain study comparing “go-getters” and “slackers.” They discovered that go-getters had higher levels of dopamine in the brain’s reward and motivation areas, while slackers had higher dopamine in the emotional and risk-related areas. This suggests that successful people find ways to activate motivation during high-stress situations and perhaps even enjoy challenges as puzzles to solve.

I hope this is as fascinating to you as it is to me. For someone who’s always seeking fulfillment, purpose, and pleasure, understanding our brain chemistry offers us a choice: we can use this information to our advantage and recognize where our natural setbacks might arise, like gripping outcomes instead of enjoying the journey.

You might think your success is predetermined by your dopamine levels, but that’s not the point of this episode. Our journey on this podcast is about balancing ambition for the future with fulfillment in the present so we can actually enjoy ourselves while working toward a better future.

To do that, we need to rewire our thinking about work, rewards, success, and achievement. When we do this, we change the anatomy of dopamine in our brains. Putting intention behind our responses, thoughts, and daily actions is like creating a big chocolate sundae. Imagine all the good stuff in it – ice cream, sprinkles, hot fudge – then imagine someone drops a tablespoon of Texas Pete right on top. Even that tiny amount seeps into the entire sundae. Our brains work similarly; one negative habit, thought, or belief can seep in and affect all the good stuff.

Bottom Line: Fulfillment is rarely about the outcome but rather about how we enjoy getting there.

We need to start rewiring our brains to enjoy the process instead of gripping the result.

Final Thought:
“Most of the time, the reward you’re looking for is within the process, not the result. So let’s learn to love the process, and the results will come.”

Thanks for listening to Amplify!

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Coming up on Amplify:
I start to process it without regret, knowing I did everything in my power to achieve this goal. And if it didn’t work out, I can still move forward in peace, knowing I gave my all. Remember, you deserve the biggest stage – let’s find out how to get you there.