Sometimes, you can’t “just do it.” It’s not a matter of desire or commitment – you’ve crushed your goals in the past. You know what to do. But somehow, you keep getting thrown off your game. Sticking to our goals isn’t as easy as it sounds. Why? Because knowing what to do isn’t the problem. It’s the doing that’s difficult.

The fact is, your brain is hardwired to be lazy. Actually, it really just wants to be more efficient, so it does everything within its power to save time and energy. The more tasks your brain can put on autopilot, the happier it is. If you try to force it to do too many things, it’s going to start to hate you. And, it will make you pay for overtaxing its energy system. Leveraging your brain chemistry puts you in a proactive position of power.

Your Brain on Goals

Your brain’s reward circuity responds to gratification. The problem is, goal setting starts and ends with the (thinking) prefrontal cortex, but it’s your (emotional) limbic system that’s in charge. To stay motivated, you’re going to have to rely heavily on dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that plays the primary role in reward and motivation. It supplies the pleasure juice and drives the feeling of desire. Any behavior that gives you a dopamine rush will train your brain to want to do it to get the same rush.

But, that’s not the whole story. Although dopamine will give you the quick pleasure rush, serotonin will cause happiness in the long run. Serotonin is a mood stabilizer that helps you feel content and empowered. Other neurotransmitters are also involved with goal attainment, but dopamine and serotonin are the two kingpins. The struggle begins when your brain realizes it’s going to have to wait (sometimes for a very l-o-n-g time) before it’s rewarded for achieving the goal. It gets worse when it realizes you don’t even know what it’s going to take to achieve the goal.

The good news is you can take advantage of brain chemicals that compel you to “want” and “do” by implementing strategies that play into their power. The following are three simple, highly-effective and empowering strategies to move you into action.

1. Crack Your Habit Code

To master the art of doing, you must be able to crack your habit code. Habits are predictable patterns that run on autopilot. The actual neurobiology of habit making and breaking is somewhat complicated. However, you can learn to leverage the neural-loop of your habit code without having to overthink the process.

Your code consists of three elements: a trigger (the cue that starts the habit), a ritual (the behavior you want) and a reward (the feeling you get once you’ve done the behavior). If you want to create or break a habit, you must figure out which elements need to change. Here are three simple steps to get you back on track:

• Step 1. Change Your Trigger
  You need something that your brain finds novel and instantly rewarding. This will ensure you receive enough dopamine to motivate you to start the ritual. For example, before you begin your practice session, try listening to a motivational speech or song from Fearlessmotivation.com or try the app, Peptalk Motivation. Science has shown listening to inspiring audio stimulates your reward circuitry, which leads to the release of a powerful neurochemical cocktail that can jump-start you towards action.
• Step 2. Simplify the Ritual
  For you to stick to your goal, you must lock in a simple yet pleasurable ritual that is repeatable without having to think about it. It should involve a sequence of activities, performed to a preset agenda. For example, the ritual for taking online lessons can be as simple as one new lesson per week, one hour per day, set at a specific time. Nothing more. Nothing less. Don’t change the ritual just because you want to learn more. Making your brain wait for more of what it wants helps to strengthen neural habit formation.
• Step 3. Know the Reward
  The reward is the driving force behind any habit. It’s the feeling you get once you’ve done the behavior. Once again, it’s the variety of neurotransmitters that reward the ritual and increase pleasure. Instead of focusing on the result (aka: goal achievement), focus on the ritual. Focusing on the enjoyment of the process will inspire you to continue making progress. You don’t stay motivated long term; you stay inspired long term. Following through on a rock-solid ritual will boost the neurochemicals that support the reward and keep you feeling inspired.

2. Gamify Your Ritual

The latest research shows, on average, it takes 66 days for a habit to become automatic. That’s a little over two months before it becomes a natural part of your daily routine. The problem, once again, is your brain is lazy and doesn’t want to have to work on anything that doesn’t bring instant reward. Gamifying your ritual (and your life) can make a tremendous difference as far as your brain is concerned. Using gamification apps, such as Habitica, can help keep your goals on track by making even mundane activities more engaging, rewarding and fun. Tracking and checking off a checklist item promotes dopamine release and triggers the need to repeat the action. Even the simple apps Streaks and Momentum can help enhance the rewards of completing the task with something more tangible. Of course, marking off an old-school calendar will still do the trick, but your brain thrives on novelty and fun. So, give it whatever it wants!

3. Create An Advantage

When it comes to goals, your brain associates three types of distance: psychological, social, and spatial. You can create greater neural activation around goals by tricking your brain into creating systemic support. A simple strategy is to create an advantage by moving your goal 20% closer. Moving the goal closer requires you figure out what task you’ve already accomplished and check it off as already completed. In other words, never start a goal from scratch. Seeing your goal as if you’re already making progress will light up your reward circuitry and give you a nice hit of dopamine. The sooner your goal is associated with pleasure, the faster you’ll move towards what it takes to achieve it.

Bringing It All Together

Your goals are valuable, and life’s too short to waste time not taking action towards them. Amid challenges and setbacks, you need to keep moving forward, however tempting it might be to give up on them. Give these brain hacks a real shot. You’ll be surprised where they take you.

Qualities like playing “in the zone” and being “laser focused” are hallmarks of great drummers. Without the ability to sustain deep concentration, we are at the mercy of our distracted brain. We can succumb to mental mistakes and inadequate performances when we pay attention to the wrong things at the wrong time. In fact, one of our greatest challenge as drummers is fighting off distractions when the material we’re working on is greater than our skill set. Difficult work makes us want to quit and move on to something else. Thanks to neuroscientific research, we now know what it takes to tame the mind and unleash the power of what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined flow.
 

FROM FOCUS TO FLOW

The flow state (aka: in the zone) is characterized as being an intrinsically motivated mental state that involves the complete absorption of what we do. Instead of feeling self-conscious and sensitive to our environment, we become almost superhuman in that we can experience a state of euphoric pleasure coupled with a heightened sense of invincibility and tranquility all at once. Being in flow is known to increase productivity, happiness, and self-esteem. It demands direct focus and is associated with better emotional regulation, which is crucial to resiliency and peak performance. While in flow, our brain is relaxed and primed for creative insights. Next time you start your practice routine be sure to include these helpful strategies.

FIVE POWERFUL TRIGGERS TO HACK YOUR FLOW

1. THINK IT. INK IT.

Goal setting directs your efforts and primes your brain for higher achievement. It increases drive, effort, and your will to succeed. Making decisions starts and ends with the prefrontal cortex. Your prefrontal cortex is the defender of all things sensible, which includes facts, logic, and reasoning. When you think about who you are, who you want to become, and what you want to achieve, it’s your frontal cortex that’s doing the work. Goal setting is an essential element of any practice routine if you want to increase your ability to access flow. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

The act of “doing” is primarily influenced by your limbic system. Your limbic system is the emotional part of your brain. Your prefrontal cortex is no match for an unmotivated limbic system. Your brain is hard-wired to be lazy. In order to actually create the habit of goal setting, remind yourself that your dreams are worth it. You can increase your productivity and level of excellence with these two simple steps.

1) Think It. Decide on a clear target. This will ensure your brain is paying attention and it will start to release the right mix of neurotransmitters to get you started. When you commit to a goal, your prefrontal cortex will tell the other parts of your brain what to ignore and what to stay focused on.

2) Ink It. Write your target goals down. This gives your brain the visual cue it needs to stay on track, without having to concern itself with distractions. Active pursuit of a goal activates your brain’s reward circuitry, which in return releases neurotransmitters that support motivation, pleasure, and reward. When you get distracted, return to the cue, and let your brain do the rest.
 

2. FEED YOUR EGO

Contrary to popular belief, your ego is not your enemy. You need a healthy ego to overcome the challenges of learning something new. It’s difficult to trigger a peak performance state if your inner critic is trying to sabotage your efforts. Inner criticism and self-encouragement involve key neurochemicals: dopamine, adrenaline, endorphins, oxytocin and serotonin. This potent neurochemical mix is heavily influenced by your perception of events and the way in which you respond to inner chatter. When you’re feeling overwhelmed with what you’re working on, feed your ego with this two-step process:

1) Identify negative, self-defeating thoughts. This is particularly important when you’re learning something new because that’s when your limbic system is on overdrive, trying to make you quit. Become acutely aware of what you are telling yourself.

2) Challenge the chatter. When your monkey mind kicks in and starts telling you how useless your efforts are, you’ve got to fight back. Your ego demands respect. Empowering self-talk is a choice. Choose your words wisely.
 

 

3. SAY NO

Distractions are flow killers. They take you out of your groove and destroy your chance of staying in the moment. Remember, accessing flow involves mastering the relationship between your prefrontal (rational) cortex and your limbic (emotional) system. A simple trick to increase your flow is to set your timer during practice. Giving yourself a specific amount of time to get things done will help demand your brain to stay focused. Turn off distractions and say no to those who want your attention before your time is up. This is about you, not them.

4. CHILL OUT

Performance anxiety inhibits peak performance and will keep you from optimizing flow. You can control your anxiety and physiological arousal with a simple breathing exercise. When you’re feeling anxious, try the 5-5-5 breathing method. Inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds. This will lower your heart rate, calm your parasympathetic nervous system, and help you regain control. Slow, deep and regulated breathing helps to harmonize body and brain chemistry. Repeat when necessary. It’s simple, and it works.
 

5. PLAY TO WIN

Practice with purposeful intent by turning each lesson into a game of chasing rhythms. This will allow you to experience what futurist Jason Silva refers to as cognitive ecstasy- a neurostorm of intellectual pleasure. Chasing rhythms involves the purposeful process of trying to perfect each measure or groove. Breaking things down into small enough parts triggers your brain’s reward circuitry. It is the anticipation of perfecting each part that is triggering the release of dopamine, which is the molecule of desire. Changes in neurochemistry facilitate the awe-inspiring, pleasure-inducing feelings that will up your game.  Allow yourself to indulge in the rhythmic flow of intense pleasure and harness the power to blow your own mind.

Ultimately, the only one that can stop you from winning is you.

Shut the door. Turn off social media. Focus. And get the job done!

The art of drumming is finally making its way into the health and wellness revolution. Over the last decade research involving the neurobiological underpinnings of drumming has seen tremendous growth. Unfortunately, the perception of the art form is still one dimensional. Magazine pages and Instagram feeds perpetuate the portrayal of drumming being only about extreme speed, tricks, and jaw-dropping abilities. Yes, skillful prowess is a significant part of drumming, but it’s not the whole picture. When you take a step back, you’ll be able to notice the remarkable number of positive effects drumming has on your health.

Drumming Improves Brain Health

Modern technologies like functional MRI screenings give scientists a glimpse at how learning to play a musical instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once. Scientists have concluded that we can not only maintain but improve our brain’s performance and health. The discovery of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change throughout a person’s lifespan, has put drummers in the driver’s seat of positive change. We now have the opportunity to make the most out of our practice routine by turning it into a brain-enhancing workout.

Our brains have the incredible capacity to reorganize themselves by forming new neuronal connections between brain cells (neurons). Research shows that learning something new helps to build new connections and changes the internal structure of the existing connections. When researchers compared musicians’ brains to non-musicians’ brains, they found gray matter (cortex) volume was higher in musicians. This means that every time you practice and push yourself to learn something challenging, you’re building a bigger, healthier brain.

Yet that’s not the only brain-changing benefits drumming offers. Deep in the center of the brain lies the hippocampus. This brain structure is critical for learning and memory and is believed to be the place where neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) takes place. Decades of research indicates we can induce neurogenesis above and beyond what is generally produced by challenging our brain in various ways. For example, the simple act of using your non-dominant hand to do simple exercises (neurobics) during your practice can strengthen the connection between brain cells and produce the growth of new neurons.

Do you know what else strengthens neurogenesis? Exercise! For drummers that means every time you increase your tempo and break a sweat during your practice or performance, you’re actually enhancing your brain functioning. The more physically active your practice or performance is, the better! The bigger your hippocampus gets, the less likely you are to suffer from the effects of aging such as memory loss and the development of dementia.

Drumming Improves Mental Health

Over the last decade, various research projects have shown how drumming has been successfully used to improve social functioning and treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, addictions, aggression, and PTSD symptoms. However, recent research involving the holistic approach towards the brain-mind-body connection is taking the possibilities of drumming to a whole new level.

Meditation and mindfulness training have been a significant part of drumming practices throughout history. Yet contrary to popular belief, drumming as meditation does not have to have religious or mystical associations to be effective. Meditation, or “the act of focusing your mind,” can be part of any drumming experience.  

The natural part of the learning process of drumming involves meditation in that it deals with mental relaxation. Deeply focusing on the rhythmic patterns controls the thought process and thus helps to reduce mental chatter, induce relaxation, and calm the mind. Even simple drumming practices allow you to free your mind from the “clutter” that trickles down to your overall well-being.

Research shows when you meditate on a focal point (such a word, object or rhythmic pattern) your brain can undergo profound physical shifts and rewire due to neuroplasticity. Our experiences, and what we do with our minds, actually change the neurochemistry of our brains and cause the remodeling of brain circuitry. Positive neuroplasticity helps to slow down the brain’s aging process, increase cognitive reserve, improve well-being, and strengthen overall brain power.

Equally important, you have the option to incorporate mindfulness meditation “the act of focusing one’s awareness of the present moment” into your practice routine. Science confirms mindfulness meditation helps to alleviate chronic pain, reduce stress, and improve vitality. Incorporating mindfulness into your drumming routine can be as simple as being aware of your thoughts and allowing them to pass by without judgment.

But that’s not all – research shows that drumming can also increase alpha and theta brainwave production as well as brainwave synchronization. All of which can lead to heightened creativity, improved problem-solving abilities, enhanced immune system and much more.

Drumming Improves Physical Health

The physical health benefits of drumming seem almost unlimited. The constant movement of the upper body and lower body limbs make for prime fitness activity. Dr. Marcus Smith, from Chichester University, recently concluded that an hour of vigorous drumming could burn between 400 and 600 calories. Research for the Australian International Academic Centre reviewed the metabolic demands of heavy metal drumming and found that it met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for the development of health-related fitness. 

But don’t be fooled by the belief that you need to go extreme to get the full brain-body benefits. Numerous studies have shown that all types of drumming can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and enhance your immunity. Research involving group drumming added to the list by providing evidence showing it can be used to reduce blood pressure, cortisol and provide relief from chronic pain conditions. As you can see, there are no shortages of health benefits to be had from playing drums. The results are undeniable. These exciting discoveries should empower all of us to be proactive in promoting the art of drumming as the ultimate tool for health and healing. Old stigmas are dissolving, and we, as drummers, have the opportunity to not only create great music but change the world for the better.