WEEK VII | The Dopamine CoinFlip

End of the challenge

7 days

SEASON I

Goal | Gain clarity of mind

Objective of this week

In the world we live in, we are offered many rewards. Very easily. If all we do is grab these rewards and look for short-term profits, we’re not accomplishing much with our lives.

If we forsake instant gratification and seek progress instead, we can achieve great things.
This week’s objective is conceptual and will replace instant gratification with a game: the Dopamine CoinFlip.

I heard about this concept on Professor Andrew Huberman’s dopamine podcast and it inspired this challenge.
The idea is that, every time you want to give yourself an instant reward (a sweet dessert, an hour’s relaxation on youtube, postponing your sports session), you toss a coin. If it comes up tails, you don’t take that instant reward and do something productive instead. If it comes up heads, you’re entitled to it.

Benefits

First of all, you will start to become aware of all the things that are not good for you and that provide instant gratification.
Then you will learn to take control of them.
Finally, you will become significantly more productive in the long term if you are careful not to sabotage yourself in the present.

Benefits

How-to guide

Get yourself a coin, if possible a distinctive one. Try to carry it with you as often as possible.

Whenever you feel yourself sinking into an unproductive activity, or salivating over a food that’s not necessarily good for your health, take the coin out and toss it. Heads: you have the right to access it. Heads: you replace that activity with something better for you.

Season I | Weekly Challenges

Week I

Week II

Week III

Week IV

Week V

Week VI

Week VII

Week VIII

Week IX

Week X

Week XI

Week XII