They said it… Willpower won’t fix it!
So often in the new year we make New Year’s resolutions, convinced that this new year will be the year that we will overcome all our vices and change the way we live… because we are motivated this year. “We will do it this year!” Then life happens and we fail for the first time, then the second, and then it’s all over, we give up because we are a failure. The reality is that we are not alone in this cycle. A study in 2022 showed that 91% of Americans that make New Year’s Resolutions failed to keep them. The study also showed that the majority of people quit their resolutions just 19 days into the New Year. January 19th is known as “quitters day”. (1) So, why does this happen to so many of us?
Dopamine
In their book The Molecule of More, Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long identified the chemical, Dopamine, in our brains that controls so much of how we respond to the world around us. From addiction, love, creativity, and willpower; dopamine plays a pivotal role in our brains. They looked at motivation and willpower in their study and found that, “Even though it’s possible to strengthen willpower, it’s still not the answer to long-term, enduring change.” (2) There is more to this Dopamine than simply its effects on our willpower and keeping our New Year’s resolutions. It plays a pivotal role in all that we do and how we engage with the world from, decision making, addictions, mental health, to politics, and even to our prehistoric migration patterns. Dopamine is in our genetics, it is at the core of human existence. If this powerful chemical is at the core of who we are created to be then believing that we can simply “will” ourselves to be or do something different seems simplistic and naive. This change takes long, hard, intentional work; work that many New Year’s resolutions are not set up to engage in. We aren’t failures, we are humans who need more than willpower to live into who we are and the changes we need in our lives.
Beyond the New Year… Who am I?
I have often tried to understand who I am and why I have lived my life in particular ways as compared to others. Often our New Year’s Resolutions are an attempt to live our lives like models of someone else’s good ideas or success. Lieberman and Long discuss the genetic component of Dopamine and how different genetic make up can contribute to different responses. They even discuss the influence of personality on politics and the connection to dopamine. Our political beliefs are different because our brains are different. (3) This difference can be traced back to early humans and migration and how dopamine was needed for survival of the human race. This chemical is a contributor to who we are and how we respond to life around us. Our brains are wired differently but all of us experience the effects of dopamine. Experiencing dopamine can become an addiction in its self and seems to be a key factor in the direction of society as a whole, and while also playing a role in failing at New Year’s resolutions. Seeking the feelings associated with dopamine can control our thinking, decision making, and goal setting.
Humanity Now
Dopamine played a role in the migration and survival of prehistoric humanity, it was a good thing. Now that our survival as a human race is not the main focus, dopamine still plays a role in how we engage in society. Yet, it seems as though it has tipped in the direction of over indulgence. “The world is now characterized by a never-ending flow of information, new products, advertising, and the perceived need for more. Dopamine is now associated with the most essential part of our being, Dopamine has taken over our souls.” (4) This is where our understanding of this chemical dopamine and its impact on our brains and all that we do can lead to a realization that humanity is not on a positive way forward, but on a path that can lead to our own demise. “99.999% of the brain is made up of non-dopamine-producing cells.” There is more to the human brain than this one chemical, Lieberman writes “Dopamine is the conductor, not the orchestra.” (5) There are other neurotransmitters in our brain meant to balance out this dopamine response and we as humanity are at a place of imbalance. We are at a pivotal place in our history, our individual willpower and New Year’s resolutions alone won’t change the course of where we are heading. There is a need to tap into the complexity of who we are as humans and the depths of all that makes us while acknowledging the control we have given to dopamine and our need to reclaim our empathy, our relationships, our creativity, and our hope.
What is it that we need to quit on quitters day this year? Dopamine! “All dopamine all the time is not the path to the best possible future. It’s sensory reality and abstract thought working together that unlocks the brain’s full potential.” (6)
- https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/studies-show-91-percent-of-us-wont-achieve-our-new-years-resolutions-how-to-be-9-percent-that-do.html
- Lieberman, Daniel Z. and Michael E. Long. “The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity-and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race.” Dallas, TX: BenBella Books, Inc., 2019. (p 99)
- Lieberman. (p 177)
- Lieberman. (p 198)
- Lieberman. (p 199)
- Lieberman. (p 223)
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About the Author
Sara Taylor Lattimore
Sara is adopted, a wife of 17 years, a mother to 2 amazing children who give her opportunities to be a cheerleader, dress up like a princess, play soccer in the mud, and go on amazing adventures. With a Bachelors in political science and sociology, Sara worked for Child Protective Services as a legal caseworker before following a call into full-time ministry in 2008. During her time in full-time ministry Sara has served in medium to large size local congregations, as well as camp ministry. Sara has a passion for serving others, writing, and speaking. In 2016 Sara worked on a joint publication as a Curriculum Writer. Sara wrote the Intergenerational/Family & Day Camp Resources in “Beyond Belief” for InsideOut Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministry- Published by Chalice Press- Release Date 2018. Sara is looking forward to writing her own book next. Sara completed her MDiv from Iliff School of Theology in 2019 and is currently working on her Doctorate in Leadership and Global Perspectives from Portland Seminary. Sara currently serves as Lead Pastor of a local church in Southwestern Montana. She has previously served in ministry positions leading congregations in engaging globally in healthy mission and outreach partnerships, living life missionally, building innovative programs, and building relationships as the Director of Missions and Outreach, College Ministry Coordinator, Family and Children’s Ministry Director, Director of Christian Education, and Camp Program Director. She is an innovator and visionary who looks to find empowering and dignity restoring ways of building communities of belonging, while listening and partnering with others to find ways to also address the needs of the communities she is planted in. Beyond her work, Sara dreams of growing her family through adoption, kayaking with Orcas, going on pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago in Spain, traveling in an RV across North America, and traveling internationally.4 responses to “They said it… Willpower won’t fix it!”
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Sarah,
I love your call to action here with stopping dopamine. I think it wise to evaluate or discern. Great Post!
Thanks Greg. Could you imagine if leaders of the church didn’t slow down and evaluate or discern. Oh the trouble we would cause for our churches and our selves. It is certainly an important piece of leadership.
Sara,
I like the quotes you use from Lieberman!
I have noted page 198 and 223 from your post!
Thank you for your thoughts.
Thanks Kristy, I really appreciated Lieberman looking at the whole approach and noting that there is an Orchestra with many moving parts. The visual that is made when thinking about a conductor, the way it can direct, but it can’t make the sounds of the instruments. And it can only make beautiful sounds with well trained musicians. It is all and intricate process.