There\u2019s only one small issue with this statement, and that\u2019s a chemical called dopamine \u2013 a neurotransmitter produced by our brains that plays a major role in the control of pleasure and reward-motivated behavior. When something good but unexpected happens, such as a sudden encounter with an old friend, the brain responds by releasing dopamine. Even the anticipation of a positive experience that could happen in the future can release dopamine, resulting in our brain telling us to put in the work to get the associated reward (dopamine).<\/p>\n
Fact is, most people do not really enjoy going to the gym and sweating it out. Motivation is a fickle thing and convincing people, including yourself, to exercise can be both time-intensive and costly \u2013 think hiring a personal trainer or a coach. So, we need to be smart about it and find a way to trick our brains into thinking that going to the gym is actually a \u201cfun\u201d activity. We need some kind of external stimulus, one that\u2019s novel, exciting, and powerful. We need a stimulus potent enough to manifest itself into intrinsic motivation, turning duty to diversion and keeping you moving and working out, without having to think about it.<\/p>\n