Dopamine

How many times do you need to learn that it does not matter how you retype the same idea over and over again — what is necessary is to just get on with it and do the actual project. Only that way do you actually make any progress, only that way do you really get anywhere.

What do you say when you have nothing to say? You come here, and you just type nonsense. Worse than nonsense. Nonsense might be interesting, this is the same dull motivational crap on repeat.

What can you tell me that’s new?

Many new things lurk in the depths of your mind, but you have to bring them to the surface somehow. The only things that do that are stress, exertion, pain, risk, fear — all the things you avoid are the things that make you grow. This is why it is bad for a man to seek comfort; he must seek whatever the next thing is. He must choose whatever is difficult.

It is the classic question of how to define a character: what does he seek, what does he avoid?

What difficulty does he seek, from what pleasure does he abstain?

Abstinence from empty pleasures may be more difficult than seeking difficulty. Doing is active, you set a goal and pursue it — but not doing means a constant worm in the back of your brain begging you to just do the thing and have some release.

But character is not all dopamine regulation, there is more on top of that. What makes a character decide to alter their own dopaminergic habits in pursuit of something worthwhile? There is always that extra spark that has no explanation.