The Daily Pill is a series of very short daily posts where I share the definition of a medical term I think we should all know. Read it every morning and build up your medical vocabulary.
🧠Limbic Friction
Limbic friction refers to the internal resistance we experience when trying to start or maintain a task - especially one that requires significant mental effort or goes against our immediate desires. Examples of limbic friction include the struggle to continue running a marathon when already exhausted, the difficulty in focusing on a tedious work project when you reeeeeally don’t feel like doing it, the hesitation to starting a new challenging hobby, or staying in the sauna for a few extra minutes when you are ready to tap out. This concept highlights the tension between the limbic system, - which drives our emotions and impulses, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning and decision-making.
🤔Why you need to know:
Understanding that limbic friction exists can help you develop strategies to overcome procrastination and improve productivity. By recognizing this internal resistance, you can implement techniques such as setting clear goals, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and using rewards to motivate yourself.
More importantly, exposure to limbic friction can enhance resilience and grit, making it important to challenge ourselves and pursue difficult tasks. Overcoming this friction builds mental toughness and helps us develop the capacity to tackle increasingly complex goals, leading to greater achievements and personal growth.
🧠Trivia:
When you give up on a task, your brain undergoes actual physical neural changes that reinforce avoidance behaviors. This can create a cycle of procrastination and decreased motivation. Conversely, completing tasks, even small ones, can lead to positive neural changes, strengthening pathways associated with reward and accomplishment and the will to live. Watch this 60sec clip: