A creative way I like to reward my brain is with laughter, which releases feelgood chemicals.
I'll sometimes follow a writing session by watching the hilarious Bad Lip Reading videos on
YouTube.Just for fun, the next time someone sees you watching a funny YouTube video,
tell them you're training your brain. It's science!
The secret to building habits is like teaching a kid to ride a bike. At first,you're letting the
kid pedal as you're holding on. But at some point, you let go and the child rides on without
you. Just like this, at first we offer the brain an extra reward after exercise, but eventually
the sense of satisfaction and endorphins are enough for it to sustain the behavior on its
own. It learns to see the value of these secondary rewards,which are more pleasing and
stronger than sugar-laden rewards in many ways,but it takes time.
Sensory (primary) rewards last as long as the experience lasts. But the feeling you get from
being in great shape, or doing something positive for 98 consecutive days stays with you.
Right now I'm looking at a giant wall calendar full of check marks that reminds me of the
progress I've made. It sounds lame to look at checks and feel good, but my brain knows
exactly what each of those marks means. In fact, if you want to be happier, one study
shows that celebrating wins is the most effective strategy for making us feel good about
our lives. That's quite the endorsement for Mini Habits,which is based on celebrating
and leveraging small wins.
Reward Strategy