Just reduce cheap dopamine.

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I was sick for the first few weeks of this month, hence why newsletters have been lagging. I had a persistent flu and was unable to get any work done.

Instead of working, I started to engage in activities that were, let’s just say – easier.

Watching more shows, scrolling, indulging in sugary food, playing a few video games, etc.

And look – I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it at all.

It definitely distracted me from being sick.

But by the time I was feeling healthy again, doing anything that required some extra discipline or creative thinking felt oddly unnatural and less exciting than usual.

Somehow life looked more grey than before.

And it made me have this insight again:

Cheap dopamine feels good now, but ends up costing you focus and creativity later.

Cheap dopamine: Quick pleasure derived from low-effort activities that trigger dopamine quickly, but don’t provide long-term satisfaction.

Think doomscrolling, alcohol, porn, junk food.

The issue with these activities, beyond the fact that they are typically unhealthy, is that they dull your palate.

They make the most important things you could be doing feel unexciting and bland.

And we all know this.

We know how hard it is to focus on reading a book after you’ve scrolled TikTok for 2 hours.

We know how challenging it can be to sit with your thoughts after filling every moment of silence with noise.

And yet we still wonder why it’s so hard to do the things we know are important and good for us.

Consider this

The moment you start reducing cheap dopamine in your life, mental clarity returns. You will start to feel passionate again.

You will notice yourself naturally picking up that book that’s been on your bedside table collecting dust.

You will be working on your creative projects without needing to force yourself to your desk.

The key is you must withstand the initial discomfort of unhooking yourself from the drip.

Be willing to embrace the feeling of boredom before the clarity returns.

But how the hell do you do that?

Everyone always talks about embracing boredom and self control.

It might seem easy in theory, but when that moment comes and you get the urge to open the website you shouldn’t open, or order fast food instead of cooking a healthy meal, will you successfully fight off that urge?

If you haven’t until this point, what makes you think the same strategy is going to work next time?

Heres the truth: It probably won’t.

Because fighting the urge isn’t an effective strategy.

Instead, I suggest learning to let go instead.

I know that sounds kind of simple and vague. But it is the solution.

Practically speaking, when the urge comes up, here’s what you will do:

Feel it fully.

Don’t analyze or justify it. Just notice where it is in your body.

Then ask yourself these 3 questions in this order:

1. Could I let this go?

2. Would I let this go?

3. Can I let go now?

(Credit: The Sedona Method, by Hale Dwoskin)

If the answer is no to any of the questions, that’s fine. Don’t argue with it. Just notice the resistance.

Then just repeat the questions on whatever comes up until you get a yes.

A lot of the time, you’ll feel an immediate release. Sometimes, you will release the entire urge and that’s great. Sometimes, it might not make the urge vanish entirely.

But it will significantly reduce its power over you. And when it’s weaker, it’s much more manageable.

As a practice this week, just notice when you get the urge to engage in cheap dopamine activities.

When you do, practice this technique of letting go. Again and again. The beauty of the technique is that you can do it anywhere.

And the more you practice, the more automatic it becomes.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes. :)

P.S. I’ll be releasing something exciting i’ve been working next month. Stay tuned. :)