Dopamine is the driving force to seek new rewards by pushing us to create and experience new things. While it is all subconscious, dopamine is the neurochemistry of the pursuit of our goals.
In addition, there has been recent research that links pain and pleasure (dopamine) and the relationship between the two. This is explored in a study that links the dopamine release after taking an ice bath. The study found that sitting in an ice bath for 2-10 mins can spike your dopamine for 2 hours after the cold exposure.
So the pain you experience is directly related to the dopamine you can achieve as long as you can associate it with the pursuit. The key is pleasure achieved without prior pursuit is terrible for us. When we celebrate the win or end goal more than the journey it took to get to the end goal, we set ourselves up to struggle later on with being able to feel the joy of reward as intensely.
In addition, there has been recent research that links pain and pleasure (dopamine) and the relationship between the two. This is explored in a study that links the dopamine release after taking an ice bath. The study found that sitting in an ice bath for 2-10 mins can spike your dopamine for 2 hours after the cold exposure.
So the pain you experience is directly related to the dopamine you can achieve as long as you can associate it with the pursuit. The key is pleasure achieved without prior pursuit is terrible for us. When we celebrate the win or end goal more than the journey it took to get to the end goal, we set ourselves up to struggle later on with being able to feel the joy of reward as intensely.
We've all been told "it's the journey, not the destination"
Dopamine actually embodies that quote entirely, but at the same time, not allowing yourself to celebrate will keep you on the path of continuously being able to experience that pleasure and motivation.
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