MOTIVATION AND FOCUS

[Ignoramus]

I want to hear anything you guys have to say in regards to sustaining motivation/willpower and focus over long periods of time.

I am very much a 'doer' and I am most happy when I am working furiously towards a goal. I feel absolutely euphoric when I am in this state, and I want to maximise it and reach my full creative potential. I don't care if it takes some time off my life to do this.

I think about this issue a lot, but I struggle to understand why my motivation and focus fluctuate so much.

I'm interested in hearing about diet, lifestyle, exercise, outlook, neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, spirituality, supplements, drugs; anything you believe is implicated in creative drive.

I'm interested in the long term. Nicotine, for example, increases my motivation immensely in the short term, but it seems to mess with things after a few days of use, so I think it's best to be avoided (for me).

Thank you!

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I want to hear anything you guys have to say in regards to sustaining motivation/willpower and focus over long periods of time.

I am very much a 'doer' and I am most happy when I am working furiously towards a goal. I feel absolutely euphoric when I am in this state, and I want to maximise it and reach my full creative potential. I don't care if it takes some time off my life to do this.

I think about this issue a lot, but I struggle to understand why my motivation and focus fluctuate so much.

I'm interested in hearing about diet, lifestyle, exercise, outlook, neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, spirituality, supplements, drugs; anything you believe is implicated in creative drive.

I'm interested in the long term. Nicotine, for example, increases my motivation immensely in the short term, but it seems to mess with things after a few days of use, so I think it's best to be avoided (for me).

Thank you!

I am most motivated when I have happy music on, instead of the tv, and how i start my day eating makes a big difference too. Meat and fatty foods slow me down quite a bit as well as sprouted brown rice (high GABA) and egg whites (tryptophan). Lately i start my day with fresh orange juice or a big glass of 2% skimmed milk and a big spoonful of honey and i am good to go. I just repeat those two things, honey and milk, until it is time to slow down, then I have a meal. Up your sugar sources, it makes a big difference

 

[Ignoramus]

I am most motivated when I have happy music on, instead of the tv, and how i start my day eating makes a big difference too. Meat and fatty foods slow me down quite a bit as well as sprouted brown rice (high GABA) and egg whites (tryptophan). Lately i start my day with fresh orange juice or a big glass of 2% skimmed milk and a big spoonful of honey and i am good to go. I just repeat those two things, honey and milk, until it is time to slow down, then I have a meal. Up your sugar sources, it makes a big difference

Thank you for this!

Yes, I also find that minimal music is very creatively stimulating.

That's a good point about the tryptophan, I never even considered that! Maybe eggs aren't the best choice for breakfast...

I will try your suggested breakfast for a couple of days and see how it goes. I've had some personal success with having only protein and fat for breakfast; I suppose that makes me run more on adrenalin (especially with coffee), which I guess I don't mind, as long as my output is good. I do notice that I have different 'modes' of working though: one where I'm a bit sad and stressed, with accompanying thoughts of "I'll show them!", and another being a more wholesome "I'm enjoying this work and I can't wait to share it with others" kinda vibe. I guess these are reflective of bad and good metabolism respectively. Either of these states work for me really - what I hate is when I feel apathetic and foggy about it all. I think that maybe things like rice and potatoes cause said horrid feelings for me.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Thank you for this!

Yes, I also find that minimal music is very creatively stimulating.

That's a good point about the tryptophan, I never even considered that! Maybe eggs aren't the best choice for breakfast...

I will try your suggested breakfast for a couple of days and see how it goes. I've had some personal success with having only protein and fat for breakfast; I suppose that makes me run more on adrenalin (especially with coffee), which I guess I don't mind, as long as my output is good. I do notice that I have different 'modes' of working though: one where I'm a bit sad and stressed, with accompanying thoughts of "I'll show them!", and another being a more wholesome "I'm enjoying this work and I can't wait to share it with others" kinda vibe. I guess these are reflective of bad and good metabolism respectively. Either of these states work for me really - what I hate is when I feel apathetic and foggy about it all. I think that maybe things like rice and potatoes cause said horrid feeling for me.

"I'll show them", that's funny! I find complicated mrals get me a little stressed and unfocused. Keeping it simple takes my mind of what I am "feeling" and more on what I am "doing". Keep liquids and solids separate, that really complicates things. Nowadays I like running on "sipables", like lots of iced milk, a hot water and gelatin with mint sugar, orange juice with a side of honey, hot or iced coffee with milk or cream or even a clear bone broth soup with some green onion and maybe some Chinese 5-spice or a dash of Madras curry powder. Then I have my heavier meal early evening so it isn't still sitting there when I go to sleep. I am interested to see if it helps you too!

 

[Ignoramus]

"I'll show them", that's funny! I find complicated mrals get me a little stressed and unfocused. Keeping it simple takes my mind of what I am "feeling" and more on what I am "doing". Keep liquids and solids separate, that really complicates things. Nowadays I like running on "sipables", like lots of iced milk, a hot water and gelatin with mint sugar, orange juice with a side of honey, hot or iced coffee with milk or cream or even a clear bone broth soup with some green onion and maybe some Chinese 5-spice or a dash of Madras curry powder. Then I have my heavier meal early evening so it isn't still sitting there when I go to sleep. I am interested to see if it helps you too!

I will definitely give this a try!

It might be kinda hard to get enough calories in if I do this though (I'm 200lbs). If I skip solid meals earlier in the day then my evening meals would have to be really huge... I'll see how it goes...

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I will definitely give this a try!

It might be kinda hard to get enough calories in if I do this though (I'm 200lbs). If I skip solid meals earlier in the day then my evening meals would have to be really huge... I'll see how it goes...

Yeah I can see your point in that being difficult. I drink 1 cup of milk between 2 cups of coffee in the morning, then have 4 to 5 cups of milk with raw honey in between or some chocolate, then my gelatin mint tea and I am 60 to 70 grams of protein by 4:00 and plenty of calories in before dinner. I have my evening meal and then have more raw honey and some cheese or a few macadamias at night.

 

[Ignoramus]

Yeah I can see your point in that being difficult. I drink 1 cup of milk between 2 cups of coffee in the morning, then have 4 to 5 cups of milk with raw honey in between or some chocolate, then my gelatin mint tea and I am 60 to 70 grams of protein by 4:00 and plenty of calories in before dinner. I have my evening meal and then have more raw honey and some cheese or a few macadamias at night.

Nice. This would save me a lot of time if it works too. Thanks

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Nice. This would save me a lot of time if it works too. Thanks

Oh it does! Cooking for myself was taking up so much of my thought process and time, but not anymore. Good luck!

 

[redsun]

Providing the most protein in the earlier half of the day and gradually having less until night is the ideal way to maximally stimulate the brain by providing precursors to neurotransmitters. Carbs need to be provided in a similar matter.

If potatoes specifically and eggs lower energy and cause bad symptoms you may be reaction negatively to acetylcholine and you could be prone to excess Ach activity giving you fogginess and bad mood and can cause fatigue. Solanine in potatoes inhibits the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, and this is much worse if the potatoes are unpeeled (way more in the peel). Also eggs have a lot of choline obviously. I currently cannot do much potatoes either because of the Ach raising effect.

 

[Ignoramus]

Providing the most protein in the earlier half of the day and gradually having less until night is the ideal way to maximally stimulate the brain by providing precursors to neurotransmitters. Carbs need to be provided in a similar matter.

If potatoes specifically and eggs lower energy and cause bad symptoms you may be reaction negatively to acetylcholine and you could be prone to excess Ach activity giving you fogginess and bad mood and can cause fatigue. Solanine in potatoes inhibits the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, and this is much worse if the potatoes are unpeeled (way more in the peel). Also eggs have a lot of choline obviously. I currently cannot do much potatoes either because of the Ach raising effect.

Aah, that's very interesting and helpful, thank you.

Re the first paragraph: are you saying that carbs should be ramped up or ramped down throughout the day? One should end their day with just fat?

That's interesting about acetylcholine and solanine. It's a shame, because potatoes are such a convenient food for me. Maybe I'll try to just have them at night and use them to knock me out.

 

[Ignoramus]

Providing the most protein in the earlier half of the day and gradually having less until night is the ideal way to maximally stimulate the brain by providing precursors to neurotransmitters. Carbs need to be provided in a similar matter.

If potatoes specifically and eggs lower energy and cause bad symptoms you may be reaction negatively to acetylcholine and you could be prone to excess Ach activity giving you fogginess and bad mood and can cause fatigue. Solanine in potatoes inhibits the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, and this is much worse if the potatoes are unpeeled (way more in the peel). Also eggs have a lot of choline obviously. I currently cannot do much potatoes either because of the Ach raising effect.

I've heard some interesting talk about glutamine to glutamate ratio in the brain, but I don't know enough to understand it. I was wondering if you knew anything about that?

 

[redsun]

Aah, that's very interesting and helpful, thank you.

Re the first paragraph: are you saying that carbs should be ramped up or ramped down throughout the day? One should end their day with just fat?

That's interesting about acetylcholine and solanine. It's a shame, because potatoes are such a convenient food for me. Maybe I'll try to just have them at night and use them to knock me out.

Acetylcholine doesnt knock out. Just the opposite, it tends to promote wakefulness and thinking but in excess lowers energy and can cause depression, apathy, negative mood related symptoms by reducing dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmission.

 

[redsun]

I've heard some interesting talk about glutamine to glutamate ratio in the brain, but I don't know enough to understand it. I was wondering if you knew anything about that?

Theres really not much to be said about it but I'll give my take on it. Glutamine is the precursor to glutamate (which is the precursor to GABA).

A low glutamine/glutamate ratio would likely be in an exhaustive state where glutamine has been depleted (due to various stressors especially more repair, illness). It becomes conditionally essential in these cases. Also keep in mind glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body. You could think of it like a reserve for the body to make glutamate and then GABA with. So if these reserve is low (thus low ratio) the body lacks the material it needs to keep you motivated and give you the energy to act (glutamate does all this directly and indirectly by its role in metabolism and firing other neurotransmitters).

I don't think supplementing glutamine makes sense, but it does speak to the necessity of protein intake. Its too simplistic to suggest more glutamine will increase motivation and improve aspects. Maybe initially it does as do most amino acids when supplementing isolated forms but eventually it stops working like that.

 

[Ignoramus]

Theres really not much to be said about it but I'll give my take on it. Glutamine is the precursor to glutamate (which is the precursor to GABA).

A low glutamine/glutamate ratio would likely be in an exhaustive state where glutamine has been depleted (due to various stressors especially more repair, illness). It becomes conditionally essential in these cases. Also keep in mind glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body. You could think of it like a reserve for the body to make glutamate and then GABA with. So if these reserve is low (thus low ratio) the body lacks the material it needs to keep you motivated and give you the energy to act (glutamate does all this directly and indirectly by its role in metabolism and firing other neurotransmitters).

I don't think supplementing glutamine makes sense, but it does speak to the necessity of protein intake. Its too simplistic to suggest more glutamine will increase motivation and improve aspects. Maybe initially it does as do most amino acids when supplementing isolated forms but eventually it stops working like that.

Thanks for this.

Do you have any thoughts on what is happening in the brains/biochemistry of the highly motivated?

I think I might be in the top 90th percentile or whatever in terms of work output, but I'd like to have that little bit more, as the return for doing slightly better can be exponential. I have some friends that are insanely motivated. When I ask them about it they say that they can't give me any solid answer other than that they feel they have 'something inside of them that needs to get out'. I have this often, but sometimes I'll lose it, and it's a bit frustrating.

These friends don't seem to have any particular diet or anything. One common theme is that they will often have at least one hard-working/successful parent. Maybe their brains became accustomed to working hard from an early age? My parents didn't instil much of a work ethic in me.

Another factor is that they will usually have high self-esteem. I don't have this, and I think my lows are consequently worse, and it takes more energy for me to pick myself back up after a failure. I used to think this was more psychological/philosophical, but I'm thinking more and more that it could be more chemical; I just need to figure things out in terms of my own biochemistry. I do notice that many genius creators have low self esteem though, and often live tortured lives. I'm wondering if this is because of the need to be harshly critical of one's own work during assessment; maybe this scrutinising thinking is dangerous when turned inward... I'm wondering what is happening in the brains of such people.

I know this is kind of an abstract topic, but I would appreciate any thoughts, even if they are a bit vague or uncertain.

Thank you!

 

[Ignoramus]

Today so far I've only consumed a large amount full-fat goat's milk with sugar, some coffee and some B1. I'm feeling very clear, light and motivated thus far.

I think the advice about keeping meals simple could be really important, and it's not something I'd really considered before. I also had premade mashed potatoes (skinless) instead of my usual whole potatoes last night. I didn't notice so much of a slow down after eating them, so maybe the solanine is indeed a factor.

Thanks guys for the advice so far!

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Today so far I've only consumed a large amount full-fat goat's milk with sugar, some coffee and some B1. I'm feeling very clear, light and motivated thus far.

I think the advice about keeping meals simple could be really important, and it's not something I'd really considered before. I also had premade mashed potatoes (skinless) instead of my usual whole potatoes last night. I didn't notice so much of a slow down after eating them, so maybe the solanine is indeed a factor.

Thanks guys for the advice so far!

Hey that's great! To your potato point those skins can hide that green toxic solanine so I always peel and boil (not bake) my potatoes. Boiling them requires less fat and they are filled with enough water to make them more digestible. Ray says the small waxy sweeter ones have less starch and sometimes I mash those together half parsnips. I topped a bowl of smashed potatoes last week with some ricotta cheese and a small hand full of arugula mmmmm! That's a "night night" meal. I am so happy to hear lightening up your digestion with the liquids is working as well for you as it has me!

 

[redsun]

Thanks for this.

Do you have any thoughts on what is happening in the brains/biochemistry of the highly motivated?

I think I might be in the top 90th percentile or whatever in terms of work output, but I'd like to have that little bit more, as the return for doing slightly better can be exponential. I have some friends that are insanely motivated. When I ask them about it they say that they can't give me any solid answer other than that they feel they have 'something inside of them that needs to get out'. I have this often, but sometimes I'll lose it, and it's a bit frustrating.

These friends don't seem to have any particular diet or anything. One common theme is that they will often have at least one hard-working/successful parent. Maybe their brains became accustomed to working hard from an early age? My parents didn't instil much of a work ethic in me.

Another factor is that they will usually have high self-esteem. I don't have this, and I think my lows are consequently worse, and it takes more energy for me to pick myself back up after a failure. I used to think this was more psychological/philosophical, but I'm thinking more and more that it could be more chemical; I just need to figure things out in terms of my own biochemistry. I do notice that many genius creators have low self esteem though, and often live tortured lives. I'm wondering if this is because of the need to be harshly critical of one's own work during assessment; maybe this scrutinising thinking is dangerous when turned inward... I'm wondering what is happening in the brains of such people.

I know this is kind of an abstract topic, but I would appreciate any thoughts, even if they are a bit vague or uncertain.

Thank you!

Easily genetic related. As in dopamine sensitivity and receptor expression and how quickly your break dopamine down (MAO-B, COMT genes). Also brain histamine metabolism (less histamine broken down, less HNMT activity for example). This applies to all important neurotransmitters in humans like acetylcholine, norepinephrine etc but this in general related to histadelics. So its not surprising if a parent passes down their work ethic to their children, this parent is likely histadelic themselves which means they pass on their genetics in regards to brain neurotransmitters (especially histamine related). This is also a low serotonin personality, which disinhibits other neurotransmitters in the brain, sustaining their drive and motivation better than an average person.

But also depends on the goals you have in mind and whether they warrant intense obsession. Also self-esteem aspect is related to dopamine and androgens. But in the end I believe a major part of it is believing in yourself that you can achieve your goals and that you deserve to. And also acceptance of who you are right now which is not acceptance for weakness and lack but acceptance that you are not perfect and are working on improving your life daily.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I always do a little scratch test on my potatoes to see if there is solanine. Look at all of it's green poison in my potato, I just bought two days ago!

 

[Ignoramus]

I always do a little scratch test on my potatoes to see if there is solanine. Look at all of it's green poison in my potato, I just bought two days ago!

No wonder they are so green when you're eating so many parsnips! Potatoes are the most envious of the root vegetables, if you didn't know.

 

[Ignoramus]

Easily genetic related. As in dopamine sensitivity and receptor expression and how quickly your break dopamine down (MAO-B, COMT genes). Also brain histamine metabolism (less histamine broken down, less HNMT activity for example). This applies to all important neurotransmitters in humans like acetylcholine, norepinephrine etc but this in general related to histadelics. So its not surprising if a parent passes down their work ethic to their children, this parent is likely histadelic themselves which means they pass on their genetics in regards to brain neurotransmitters (especially histamine related). This is also a low serotonin personality, which disinhibits other neurotransmitters in the brain, sustaining their drive and motivation better than an average person.

But also depends on the goals you have in mind and whether they warrant intense obsession. Also self-esteem aspect is related to dopamine and androgens. But in the end I believe a major part of it is believing in yourself that you can achieve your goals and that you deserve to. And also acceptance of who you are right now which is not acceptance for weakness and lack but acceptance that you are not perfect and are working on improving your life daily.

Mm interesting. I myself have all of the histadelic traits, and my mother has some of them. Maybe this is why cypro tanked my motivation so bad - I'm used to running on histamine?

Do you think there's any sneaky biohacking that can be done to, say, increase dopamine sensitivity? I'm crazy and I want to feel like I'm on Adderall all the time....

Yes, I do struggle with perfectionism and not living up to an impossible ideal that I have set for myself. It would save energy to cut myself some slack.

Cheers for these thoughts! I love thinking about this stuff.