Dr Jordan B Peterson and Andrew Huberman discuss neurology, the way humans and animals react to specific stimuli, and how this knowledge can be utilized for personal growth.
Boosting Neuroplasticity and Confidence with Small Tasks
Completing small tasks can activate the dopaminergic system, increase confidence, and lead to big changes in behavior, while having a clear and meaningful goal is essential for improving neuroplasticity and eliciting positive emotions.
Key Insights
Neurological mechanisms of motivation and learning
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🧠The insula and prefrontal cortex are involved in establishing which rules are appropriate for a given situation, allowing us to apply different rules in different contexts.
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🧠 Our ability to access multiple rule sets and options in moments of extreme autonomic arousal is where our power lies, according to individuals who have worked in Special Operations.
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💪 Confronting fears can actually lead to the highest levels of autonomic arousal, including heart rate activation and gamma wave activity in the insula, despite being associated with anxiety.
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🧠 Stimulation of the midline thalamus can convert a terrified non-confrontational mouse into a mouse that is willing to confront its fears in a healthy and adaptive way, and humans love the feeling of this stimulation.
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💰 The dopamine system is like a currency in the brain, with rewards like food and potential mates being translated into a dopaminergic internal representation of safety and security.
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💥 Completing even seemingly trivial tasks can activate the dopamine system, which amplifies our ability to think into the future, increases confidence and energy, and is the basis of all neural energy including thinking.
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🧠 The dopamine system is vital for tapping into pleasureful experiences and building self-amplifying modes to take on bigger goals in life.
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💥The dopamine system marks intermediary steps with pleasure to overcome reluctance and maintain motivation towards the ultimate satiating reward.
Strategies for behavioral transformation and growth mindset
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🧠 The belief that what you're doing is important and related to an important goal can facilitate learning and transform into a manifestation of neuroplasticity, capturing a fundamental principle of the way our neurology works.
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🧠 Adopting a growth mindset approach can lead to a rewarding state over time, proportional to the magnitude of the goal.
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🎉 Giving credit and rewarding small steps towards desired behaviors can produce behavioral transformations at an incredible rate, while making everyone feel great about it.
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Questions to inspire discussion
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How can completing small tasks help achieve larger goals?
—Completing small tasks activates the dopaminergic system, increasing confidence and leading to behavioral changes that contribute to achieving larger goals.
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What controls automatic bodily functions?
—The autonomic nervous system controls automatic bodily functions such as heart rate, gut activity, and breathing.
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How does the autonomic nervous system impact anxiety and energy levels?
—The interpretation of signals and the ability to adjust the balance between alertness and calmness in the autonomic nervous system can impact anxiety and energy levels.
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What brain regions are involved in establishing appropriate rules for different situations?
—The insula and prefrontal cortex are involved in establishing appropriate rules for different situations, allowing individuals to apply different rules in different contexts and refrain from autonomic responses.
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How can therapy help with chronic anxiety?
—Therapy can provide an alternate perspective that sends calming signals to the body, helping to alleviate chronic anxiety.
Dr. Andrew Huberman
Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist, and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
He runs the Huberman Lab, which has made significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity.
Dr. Huberman’s most recent work revolves around the influence of vision and respiration on human performance and brain states such as fear and courage.
In 2017, he was chosen to receive the Cogan award, which is awarded to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision.
Work from the Huberman Laboratory has been published in top journals including Nature, Science, and Cell and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover, and other top media outlets.
In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab Podcast, and has since grown to over 1.5 million subscribers.