Essentials: Controlling Your Dopamine for Motivation, Focus & Satisfaction

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how dopamine regulates motivation and provide science-based tools to help improve focus, discipline and overall drive.

I explore how particular activities affect dopamine levels and discuss how the highs, lows and baseline levels of dopamine shape your motivation and long-term satisfaction. I also explain practical strategies to boost dopamine levels, such as deliberate cold exposure, caffeine, effort-based rewards and specific supplements. Whether you're looking to enhance motivation for school, work or daily life, this episode explains how to get and stay motivated while supporting healthy dopamine levels.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00) Dopamine & Drive

(00:33) Neuromodulators; Dopamine Effects, Parkinson’s Disease; Brain Circuits

(03:36) Motivation & Dopamine Levels

(04:55) Sponsors: AG1 & LMNT

(07:29) Subjective Experience & Dopamine, Activities that Increase Dopamine

(10:55) Dopamine Highs, Lows & Baseline; Evolutionary Context, Addiction

(16:16) Dopamine Reward Prediction Error, Tool: Intermittent Rewards

(18:16) Caffeine & Dopamine; Tool: Yerba Mate & Protecting Dopamine Neurons

(19:40) Sponsor: David

(20:53) Amphetamine, Cocaine & Challenges for Learning

(22:22) Tool: Increase Dopamine & Deliberate Cold Exposure

(25:06) Hard Work & Motivation, Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Rewards, Tool: Growth Mindset

(30:25) Sponsor: Function

(32:04) Experiences & Shifting Perception, Dopamine Balance

(33:17) Compounds to Increase Dopamine: Wellbutrin, L-Tyrosine, PEA, Alpha-GPC

(36:54) Social Connection; Recap & Key Takeaways

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