There's a part of your brain that scientists are finally understanding, and it might be the most important thing you'll learn about this year.
It's called the anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC). And before you zone out thinking this is another "meditation changes your brain" article, stick with me. This is different.
Neuroscientists studying human brains (not mice) found that when people do things they don't want to do, the aMCC brain region physically grows.
When they stop, it shrinks. Fast.
Here's what they found:
Larger aMCC = increased capacity to do hard things
Most people's aMCC peaks in their 20s, then slowly shrinks
People with depression/chronic procrastination have significantly smaller aMCCs
Brain scans show visible shrinkage in just 2-3 weeks of comfort
It's smaller in obese people, but grows when they diet and work out
It's larger in athletes, especially those who embrace suffering
Scientists think it might be your will to live, the thing that keeps you going when everything is meh.
But it only grows from doing things you don't want to do.
If you enjoy your morning runs? No Growth. If every step is misery, but you do it anyway? Growth.
I've been running now for a couple of weeks, and I still have that negotiation when I run. How far, what pace, keep going?
There's something about winning that negotiation that makes you realize the person you were negotiating with, the devil on your shoulder, was lying.
And that we can do more than we think. We can keep running, we can keep building.
I think the reason people win the negotiation is that they're really clear on the prize of winning the negotiation. I think we can all be clearer on what our why is. Because when you bring that reason to the negotiation table, the devil on your shoulder stands no chance.
- Jacob