Connecting Dots Thread #8 - Brief about rewarding system

Nov 30, 2024

Let me share a secret: Your brain is like a master chemist, capable of turning struggle into satisfaction. It’s not about being a masochist—it’s about rewiring your reward pathways.

Here’s what’s really happening when people seem to “enjoy” the grind:

Often we see people endure seemingly impossible pain - marathon runners, startup founders, and scientists. They work extremely hard toward their goals in ways that can seem unnatural to us. This raises the questions: Why and how do they do this? What is the source of their persistence and discipline?

While these questions are valid, focusing solely on them means missing the forest for the trees. Discipline isn’t what brought them here - think of it like electricity for an engine’s ignition. It’s crucial but not the fuel that sustains the journey. For these individuals, what seems hard, painful, and impossible to others is actually fun, joyful, and transcendent.

The secret lies in how they structure their internal reward system to make these challenges enjoyable. You can develop this too:

1. Start by celebrating tiny wins. Finished one page of writing? Did five minutes of exercise? Log it, track it, feel it. Your brain needs to register these moments as victories, not just tasks.
2. Create tangible markers of progress. Use apps, journals, or visual boards. When you can see your journey, the struggle becomes part of a bigger story - your story of growth. Embrace a work-in-progress mindset; acknowledge where you are and keep moving.
3. Find your “flow triggers” - those moments when challenge meets capability. This sweet spot is where torture transforms into pure engagement. Time disappears, and the work becomes the reward.
4. Build a community that understands. When you surround yourself with people who celebrate the process, their energy becomes contagious. Their victories fuel your motivation.

Remember: The people you admire aren’t superhuman - they’ve just mastered the art of internal rewards. Their “pain” isn’t pain at all - it’s the feeling of growth and becoming more.

The next time you see someone embracing what looks like torture, ask yourself: What rewards are they really chasing? And more importantly, how can you build your own system of internal rewards?