The Dopamine Dilemma: What I Learned Turning Journal Entries Into Articles

Photo by Dim Hou on Unsplash

I write for 30 minutes in my journal every morning.

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

I write. I push through the sludge. I uncover a realization. I discover what I believe is the root of a problem in my life/work.

It feels good.

Then I quit. I don’t move beyond the point of “Oh, I see what’s going on here” to here’s what I think about this and how it can be helpful to me or better someone else.

I push myself up to the point of pain, take the dopamine hit, and then never push through the finish line.

I don’t finish.

It’s like giving up at the 75 yard line in a 100 yard dash.

You run hard.

You feel good.

You might even be winning. Then you stop short — because you feel successful.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

I stop because I’m afraid of failing to the finish.

The dopamine of progress is greater than the pain of finishing.

I take the hit and quit.