NEURAL ENERGY: THE POWER OF DOPAMINE

When we think about motivation, we often look outside ourselves—deadlines, pressure, praise. But one of the most potent drivers of action is already inside our brain. It’s called dopamine, our body’s built-in motivation molecule. Dopamine doesn’t give us pleasure directly—it gives us drive. It gets us up for that early gym session, helps us press on through fatigue, and fuels focus when the tasks pile up.

In high-performance environments, understanding how to support our dopamine system isn’t just a ‘nice-to-know’—it’s a game-changer.

During my PC-21 conversion, I felt the cards were stacked against me: I had six years of not practising the focus and discipline that got me through the Pilots Course. Six years of being interrupted by a small child every 30seconds, let alone any changes in hormones after two pregnancies.

Was I even capable of meeting the high standard of an Air Force pilot after so much change?

After a series of performance setbacks, I began to question my capability. I knew I had to find momentum again, and fast. So, I turned to what I learned about dopamine: if we can manage the chemistry, we can manage the motivation.

The Science (In Brief):

Dopamine is released in response to anticipation, novelty, effort, and achievement. It’s deeply tied to learning, habit formation, and resilience. But here’s the catch: our baseline drops if we burn through it without replenishing. We feel flat, foggy, or unmotivated. That’s what makes daily replenishment so essential for warfighters.

Tactics to Boost Dopamine:

1. Effort Before Reward:

Break big tasks into smaller wins. Dopamine spikes not just with success, but with progress. Each time we complete a step, our brain gets a hit, and our motivation builds.

2. Cold Exposure & Exercise:

Short bouts of cold showers or cardio can elevate dopamine to 250% above baseline, lasting several hours afterwards. I ran or lifted weights daily during that tough week—even when I didn’t want to. It gave me clarity, lifted my mood, and reset my focus.

3. Dopamine Anchoring:

Pair a challenging task with something enjoyable—sunlight, music, movement. This meant studying in short, high-focus bouts followed by music or sunshine. It made the grind more bearable.

4. Avoid the Dopamine Dump:

Too much digital stimulation (scrolling, binge-watching) can temporarily spike dopamine and then leave us drained. Instead, we can train our dopamine system with effort-based rewards. Here’s a rule of thumb: if the dopamine took no effort to enact, think of it like junk food: tastes great in the moment, but probably not healthy.

Tapping into our dopamine system isn’t about hacks—it’s about habit. When our internal fuel system is primed, we’re more likely to persist, adapt, and perform under pressure.

Self-Coaching Check-in: Motivation and Momentum

• What task today gives me a sense of progress or achievement?

• When do I feel most energised or focused—and why? Have I moved my body or spent time outside today?

• Am I relying on quick dopamine (scrolling, snacking) or effort-based rewards?