The Rule of 2

Forget dopamine hacking.

Sometimes you just need to work harder, even when it sucks.

I’ve been seeing more and more tweets, videos, and articles with titles like: “Mastering the Dopamine Game: Turn Your Brain's Chemistry into a Winning Strategy”

And I get it.

There have been incredible neuroscience breakthroughs recently that have destroyed the glass ceiling of brain chemistry knowledge. And we now have a much better understanding of the effects on motivation and behavior. 

Dopamine hacking is a movement based partly on this newish knowledge and mostly driven with help from Dr. Andrew Huberman, on the idea of leveraging our understanding of the brain's reward system to improve motivation and productivity. 

It’s powerful stuff.

So it 100% makes sense that high-achieving, successful people like readers of this email are drawn to it. 

Yes, cheap dopamine is not ideal for your brain. And the expensive dopamine from reaching difficult goals is better 100% of the time.

But there are times when life hits you hard.

And you fall off the wagon. Resoundingly.

Cue the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Netflix, Instagram scrolling, etc…

This can lead to a nasty downward spiral if you aren’t careful.

That’s where the dopamine hackers come in with valid points.

If you are getting all of your dopamine from these sources, then why put max effort into something that only promises delayed gratification?

Solid points. 

But here’s my billboard message: Even if you are getting cheap dopamine, you can still be successful.

And the key is a vision, a purpose, and hard work.

Dopamine optimization can’t be the project.

I’m not trying to ignore the fact that everyone has different psychological and physiological makeups. What works for one person in terms of motivation and productivity might not work for another.

My point is that it can’t become a condition for doing the high-leverage activities that you need to do.

In my life, conditions for achieving 100% optimal productivity are almost always sub-optimal.

• I have 3 kids. Sometimes they get up at 5:30 AM and go to bed at 11 PM. 

• I have a 9-5. There are work emergencies that come up even in off hours. 

• I’m working on the side and creating content every single day. Sometimes I don’t feel all that creative enough to make something cool.

So, I will engage in cheap dopamine when this stuff catches up with me. 

Cinnamon toast crunch and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Yes. Full send.

Even Tim Ferriss talks about the time in his life when he engaged in FAP the most. During this period he was also hyper-productive, and generally being successful. He didn’t condone it. In fact, he said it was a particularly low point. 

But he still did the work.

I like Sahil Bloom’s 2-2 rule: ​​You can miss a day; just don't miss 2 in a row.

Just like missing a day in the gym or not sending a daily email. I have skipped plenty of days in the gym. In fact, I only went 2x last week when my goal was 5x. 

But the key is not to ditch the habit altogether. 

Go the next day. Put in the work. 

The conditions are not always going to be ideal. 

No one is coming to save you.

But that’s ok, because you can save yourself. 

Let’s get it. 

Later nerds,

Swanagan

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