Part 6/12:
Goals should be connected hierarchically—from immediate responsibilities like coursework towards larger life aims such as financial stability, personal growth, and even moral or existential goals like being a good person. Working towards these layered goals gives life meaning, as engagement in meaningful pursuits triggers dopamine-driven positive emotions.
The Role of the Brain’s Reward System
The circuitry that underpins motivation and positive emotion is ancient, involving dopamine. Progressing toward valuable goals activates this system, producing feelings of satisfaction and reducing pain. Athletes, for example, often ignore injuries because their focus on their goal overrides pain signals.