Dopamine is a molecule in the brain and body that is closely linked to our sense of motivation. It can also enhance our depth of focus and lower our threshold for taking action toward specific goals .

It turns out that we are wired to like the anticipation of our goals more than enjoying the goals themselves. You can credit dopamine, the misnamed "pleasure neurotransmitter," which is actually more about anticipation and wanting than enjoyment itself. This explains why starting new projects feels intoxicating but continuing them feels boring –... See more