Brain & Habit
Cracking the Neuroscience Behind Habits and Motivation
4.1 (20)
38 mins
Understand the brain's inner workings that shape our habits and drive them. Whether it's figuring out how habits grow, or learning how dopamine fuels anticipation over satisfaction, these stories will help you better understand the neural underpinnings of habits, and how motivation can help you break them.
Ep 1:
Your Brain's Autopilot Explained
Discover why your brain automates behavior to save energy, the four-stage loop behind every habit, and how cravings are shaped more by expectation than chemistry.
Ep 2:
Exercise: The Brain's Secret Medicine
Uncover the surprising neurochemistry linking exercise to reduced addiction cravings and anxiety relief, from dopamine boosts to a stress-calming hormone called ANP.
Ep 3:
The Wanting Machine Inside You
Dopamine isn't the pleasure chemical you think it is—learn how anticipation drives motivation and why addiction rewires the brain's learning system rather than just chasing pleasure.
Ep 4:
Rewired: Brands, Habits, and Control
See how brand associations hijack your reward circuitry in the Coke vs. Pepsi brain scan study, then learn how to reclaim control over your habits.
Discussions (18)
Lincoln
Level 3 · 10 mo agoI definitely spun around as a kid for fun too
Jesse
Level 2 · 10 mo agoClaiming habits are just 'brain automation' is a massive cop out. It’s not biology, it’s a total lack of discipline. MIT is wasting tax dollars on rat mazes just to make excuses for lazy behavior.
Sullivan
Level 6 · 10 mo agoThat story about the flight attendants holding out on smokes is wild. It proves addiction is mostly mental. Reminds me of how I don’t get hungry on the route until I know my break is coming up.
