Winning - The perception of its meaning varies for different people. What I count as a win might seem insignificant to another. Everyone has their own metric for defining a win. However, one thing is common among everyone: the feeling that accompanies winning is a truckload of positive emotions.
Now, think about this feeling piling up in small doses, building gradually until it reaches a climax where it is overwhelming. This trail is what I call the thrill of winning. There are very few things in life that give you that rush. A pleasurable rush that keeps you hooked and forces you to keep coming back. It’s like an addiction, and this magic can be harnessed to push beyond your boundaries and achieve difficult tasks. Here is how.
The Challenge of Difficult Tasks
Some tasks are usually perceived as hard to do. Often, some may bore us, frustrate us, and tire us out. Some things, on the other hand, are just naturally difficult and require an extra push. Depending on the person, what we find difficult to do varies because our personalities and exposure vary. Some find academic work interesting, while to others, nothing seems as impenetrable. Some enjoy extracurricular activities, while others see them as a blatant waste of time.
However, I speak regarding work that you have to do, that is difficult but necessary. The only way to keep the boredom off is to manage it in small chunks. Oftentimes, our mind is frightened by big tasks; it is frightened by pictures of impossibilities and it’s afraid of being stuck on one chore and grinding with little progress. Our mind despises monotony. So what can help?
1.The Dopamine Solution
There is a psychological underpinning to winning. Our brain reinforces activity that brings about positive emotions, and winning is one of these activities. Remember how you felt when you were praised for an outstanding performance? Or when you won that competition and were awarded? That exhilarating feeling. Our brain loves it and reinforces activities that spike such emotions. It’s what scientists describe as a dopamine rush. The feeling is like sticking out your tongue to a tap that drips honey, bit by bit, drop by drop, wanting to savour every bit of it and enjoy its delicious taste. It’s the same with anything you derive pleasure from. The anticipation of doing the thing spikes your dopamine release, so that as you toil in hope, the moment you break through, the feeling becomes wild and pleasurable.
2. Managing Difficult Tasks
But instead of waiting until the end, how about enjoying it little by little? Gruesome tasks that are difficult and take time to complete can make you quick to give up without any dopamine. A more effective approach is to win, but this time, little by little. It’s about chunking and taking things slow. Take it one step at a time. 1000 is 100 in ten places. 100 is 10 in ten places. 10 is 1 in ten places.
So to make one thousand, that’s large, that’s big, and can be ultimately tiring. A better thing to do is to begin with making 10, and making 10 again, and again. Until 100 is met, and eventually a thousand. In your making of a thousand, you have given your mind ample peace. You have not put it under any strain but instead kept it engaged.
3. Celebrating Small Wins
Count the making of the first 10 as a win - because it is. One 10 out of the way, it remains another 9 to make the first 100. And like that, simple baby steps are going to make the ocean full. By celebrating this win, you give your mind the anticipation to want to come back again. This rush over time builds up into something big that forms the crux of the positive emotional explosion that occurs at the achievement of a major win, especially one that did not come easily.
Conclusion
So, my dear readers, in all you do, win, even if little. That’s the only way to keep going, even in difficult times. By focusing on and celebrating small wins, you maintain your motivation and keep your mind engaged. This approach not only helps you manage difficult tasks but also allows you to enjoy the thrill of winning, which is essential for long-term success and satisfaction. In the end, it’s not about achieving big goals but about enjoying every inch of the journey.
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