How to addict yourself to generosity

Did you know that generosity is addicting?

It's true.

In fact, numerous studies show that donating to a worthy cause stimulates the same areas of your brain as taking nicotine or cocaine.

Plus:

Donating releases a neurochemical called "Dopamine". Dopamine, as you may know, is where the slang word for drugs "dope" comes from.


But Dopamine isn't a bad thing.

In fact, research into human habit and behavior shows Dopamine to be a key factor in motivating our action. So just like we can addict ourselves to drugs and other bad habits... we can 'addict' ourselves to healthy and worthwhile habits too. Habits like:

Exercising
Eating healthy
Growing our business
And donating our time and money

In other words, when our brain rewards us for an action (by releasing Dopamine) we're more likely to do that action again.

And over time, that action becomes a habit.

But here's where it gets "loco".

At least one Harvard study found that giving money to someone else will make you happier than spending it on yourselves.

Moral of the story?

If you want to be happy, make healthy actions — like donating — a habit. And to spur you in the right direction, I'm happy to give you your first "hit":

Yesterday I announced my "Critique 4 Donation Extravaganza". The deal is I will critique 5 of your sales emails if you donate $50 or more to your local food shelter and email me the receipt by this Friday April 17th at Midnight EST.

What's that? Too addicted to Facebook and Kardashian-updates to Google your local food pantry?

My, then you ESPECIALLY need this medicine.

If that's the case, simply go here and enter your zip code:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

Tyler McCune

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