Cultivate a growth mindset by learning to access dopamine release from the effort and friction of a task itself, rather than solely from the end reward, by consciously telling yourself that the effort is pleasurable and chosen.
To maximize dopamine release from effort itself, avoid activities that spike dopamine immediately before or after engaging in a challenging task.
Engage in dopamine-evoking activities using intermittent reward schedules, meaning you should not expect or chase high levels of dopamine release every time, to maintain a healthy dopamine baseline and sustained motivation.
Understand that repeatedly engaging in highly enjoyable activities raises your threshold for enjoyment, making it harder to feel pleasure from those activities and potentially lowering your overall dopamine baseline.
Be mindful that experiencing big dopamine releases from one activity can make it harder to experience pleasure from subsequent activities, as your perception of enjoyment depends on prior dopamine-evoking experiences.
Do not provide external rewards (e.g., gold stars, monetary) for activities that are intrinsically enjoyable, as this can decrease intrinsic pleasure and make you less likely to engage in the activity in the future.
Engage in cold exposure (e.g., cold showers, ice baths at 50-60°F) to increase dopamine and norepinephrine, which can lead to a sustained increase in dopamine baseline and a heightened sense of calm and focus, but approach with caution and be aware that the novelty effect diminishes over time.
Engage in and pursue quality, healthy social interactions, as close social connections are essential for stimulating dopamine pathways.
If consuming caffeine, consider Yerba Mate as it upregulates dopamine receptors, provides a dopamine increase, offers stimulant properties, and has neuroprotective properties for dopaminergic neurons.
For intense mental work, consider taking 500mg PEA and 300mg Alpha-GPC from time to time for a sharp, transient (30-45 minute) increase in dopamine and focus, which may feel more regulated than L-Tyrosine.
L-Tyrosine (500-1000mg) can temporarily increase dopamine for focus and motivation, but use it only from time to time to avoid the inevitable dopamine crash and potential agitation, and avoid if you have pre-existing dopaminergic conditions.