The harder you work for something, the better the dopamine response | CNN

Think there’s nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie? But which chocolate chip cookie? Not all cookies are created equal, and it’s not always about the sugar content. Let’s try two different examples of the same thing. First, you sit down with a sleeve of your favorite store-bought cookies in front of the TV. You have one, and it’s delicious. Then another. Then another. Before you know it, the sleeve is gone, and you find yourself thinking of rummaging around the kitchen again. In an alternate universe, your dad sends you Grandma’s famous cookie recipe, and you decide to embark on a baking adventure. You gather the ingredients, restart when you learn you messed up a step and delicately add the decorative glaze at the end. When you are done, you sit down with two perfect specimens, and not only do they taste delicious, but you are proud and feeling nostalgic about your grandmother baking these for you. You save the rest for later –– maybe for when your sister comes over. Both cookies have the sugary goodness that sends a dopamine rush in your brain, but one is better in the long run, and that’s the one you had to work for. Dopamine can get a bad rap in popular c

Apr 30, 2026 → Apr 30, 2026