Action Step: Dopamine Fast
Fast from at least one dopamine-rich set of things this week — and pay attention to what happens.
This week, choose to fast from at least one of the following "sets" of things. You can combine different sets, do multiple, or whatever makes sense for you.
- Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and simple carbs
- Background noise like podcasts, news, music, etc.
- Shows, movies, media, and video games
- Social media and online shopping (scrolling of all kinds…)
- Talking about anyone that's not there with you (only share stories or information that you were directly involved in)
- Food — consider a full 1–3 day fast, or only eating at mealtimes, so no snacking
Remember: "success" is NOT the goal of this fast.
In fact, success might be a sign that you chose the wrong thing!
The goal is to understand what these dopamine-rich behaviors and habits are doing FOR you — what they're helping you avoid, numb, or escape.
If you've chosen the right thing, this experience should feel like a constant tug of war, your mind constantly searching for a replacement to create the same effect.
The gold is in the process. Pay close attention to the entire experience and get the information you need to keep moving along down the yellow brick road.