In today’s lesson, we’re going to kick-start module 7 “Follow Through” and discuss how to finish what you start and get high as a kite.
Video Lesson
-
Time: 5:00
-
Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Module Overview
Do you finish everything you start? Me either.
We’re not the only ones. In fact, University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions.
In this module, you’ll become part of the 8% who follows through and achieves their goals.
You’ll learn:
-
The surprising reason we lack follow-through.
-
11 different techniques to instantly strengthen your follow-through, so you can get more done, today.
-
How to naturally increase your dopamine levels to help you feel better and skyrocket your follow-through.
Let’s get to it, shall we…
Why we don’t follow through
Follow through: the act of continuing a plan, project, scheme, or the like to its completion.
There are two reasons why we don’t follow through. We either:
-
Run out of willpower, or
-
Run out of dopamine.
Is your willpower running low? Stop using it
As you’ve already learned, willpower is limited. When your “willpower tank” goes empty, you’re running on fumes—and give up.
Remember: it’s easier to conserve willpower than strengthen it. And the best way to conserve willpower is through routines. That’s why only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions: they rely on willpower—rather than routine—to get the job done.
Remember: to boost your follow-through, use routines, not willpower.
Dopamine
When you’re doing something you love (such as eating ice cream, having sex, or salsa dancing), you’re also high as a kite on dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls your brain’s reward and pleasure centers—is what makes you feel good.
So if you’re a caffeine junkie, your brain floods with dopamine when you smell coffee. Or if you love sweets, your dopamine surges when—like me—you pass by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the supermarket.
Dopamine is powerful stuff. And increasingly, scientists are discovering that dopamine levels can help your follow-through. Research published in the journal Neuron shows that dopamine is essential to habit formation; without dopamine, forming new habits—and following through—becomes impossible. Another study—at the Brain and Behavior Discovery Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University—also found that dopamine is crucial for learning habits.
It’s interesting:** higher dopamine levels may just be the difference between following through—and giving up.**
Three main points:
-
Willpower is limited.
-
Habits (or routines) don’t drain willpower; therefore, they are more effective for following through.
-
To create habits, increase your dopamine levels.
So now let’s discuss…
How to naturally increase your dopamine levels so you feel better and follow through
-
Pull the trigger. Shockingly, you can consciously increase your dopamine levels. Try it. Picture your hand is on a feel-good trigger, and by pressing the button you release a rush of dopamine. Feels good, doesn’t it? Now press it again :)
-
Make the act the reward. If you enjoy the act, it becomes a reward in itself. For example: while training for my 50K, I started running three times a week because I had to; after awhile, though, I simply ran because it made me feel good. That’s dopamine, homey!
-
Set deadlines daily—and hit them hard. It’s a fact: when you complete a task, your dopamine levels increase; when you don’t complete a task, your dopamine dries up. When you struggle to follow through, give yourself a deadline—whether it’s five minutes or five hours—and get it done.
-
Take shots of dopamine throughout the day. Break large goals into smaller, more manageable ones to get hits of dopamine throughout the day. You see, dopamine levels increase relative to the size of the achievement. (That’s why grown men cry when they win the Super Bowl—but not a preseason game.) It’s funny how the brain works: you set one large goal for the day, like “go skydiving” and you’ll get one massive rush of dopamine. But you can also break that goal into “baby steps” and enjoy a small hit of dopamine throughout the day. Instead of “go skydiving” you break the goal down into smaller goals. For example, “baby steps to the skydiving site” followed by “baby steps into a snazzy skydiving outfit” and “baby steps into the plane” all provide you with a bit of dopamine. Each “baby step” gives you a rush that keeps you high—and happy—throughout the day.
-
Get pumped! Did you achieve your goal? When you hit your goal—even if it’s something as small as feeding the cats—say to yourself, “I did it!” You’ll get a sweet dopamine rush.
OK, so now you understand dopamine: how it boosts your follow-through, and how to increase it.
But at this point I’m guessing you either think:
-
This is a load of positive, rah-rah crap. It’s not. Dopamine is critical for feeling good and developing good habits. This has been proven in clinical studies, which we’ll reference throughout this module.
-
These are good ideas, but you won’t act on them. To overcome this, I want to you set a micro-goal right now to finish this lesson. Once you’ve reached the end of this lesson, congratulate yourself for finishing by saying, “I did it!”
Now set the intention to congratulate yourself when you finish this module. (Don’t worry; I’ll remind you.)
10x Community
Leave a comment, share a personal story, or ask a question. We read each and every comment. – Adam and Darcie
