On Goals and Hormones: the Neuroscience behind Achievement!

The Human brain is a massively complex organ that is responsible for, well, most of our bodily functions, thoughts, survival and existence; and today we will be discussing a very specific function: Hormone release and regulation.

As a brief overview: Hormones are chemical messengers produced by our endocrine system. Once released by glands into our bloodstream, they act on various organs and tissues to control everything, including metabolism, growth, and mood to name a few…

I would like to specifically touch on what is commonly known as the feel-good hormones: Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins and Oxytocin.

• Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with feelings of pleasure and reward, as part of the brain’s reward system. It also plays a role in learning and attention, mood, movement, sleep, and others.

It is also involved in reinforcement, as we tend to associate the good feelings with the action taken, therefore we want more of this feeling, which leads us to repeat the same action.

The darker side of Dopamine is the intense feeling of reward people get, which may create addictions. Substances like nicotine and recreational drugs can cause an immediate release of Dopamine into our system, creating a feeling of happiness or euphoria, but depleting our natural reserves.

• Serotonin is another neurotransmitter, associated with feelings of wellbeing and happiness. Whenever you feel happy and everything seems to be going well in the world, you are feeling the effects of Serotonin. It acts on many different parts of the brain to affect a variety of functions and behaviors such memory, stress response, sleep, breathing, body temperature, etc.

• Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers; when released, they relieve pain and create a general feeling of wellbeing.

• Oxytocin, which is often referred to as the “love hormone” is released during social bonding and intimate encounters. It decreases stress and anxiety levels and can have a positive effect on social behaviors related to relaxation, trust, and overall psychological stability.

You can boost the levels of Serotonin, Endorphins and Oxytocin through some simple life changes such as diet, physical activity - running, weight training, martial arts or dancing, meditation, or just being in the sunlight for a while. On the other hand, the boost of Dopamine is different.

It is only released by the brain neurons whenever you do something enjoyable or beneficial; it is as if your body is saying: This is fun, here’s your reward!

This can turn into an ace up anyone’s sleeve in order to stay motivated and keep on doing a difficult task:

Break it down into small, challenging yet manageable chunks, and celebrate the accomplishment of each step!

Program yourself and use this natural body reward system to feel happy about your accomplishments, and fuel yourself to take on the next step. Studies across the world of top performers, achievers and athletes go back to this: small yet stimulating steps, increasing in difficulty, and celebrated along the way to keep motivated, reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, energize and have powerful effect on mood, behavior and wellbeing.

Keep on moving forward, towards your goals and the life you want; and we are here next to you to provide the support and insights you need along the way!