I realised I’ve been feeling a bit bored recently. I hate to say it but it’s true. There’s often not much to look forward to in this early part of the year (at least immediately). The excitement of Christmas has long passed and Easter is still a couple of months away.
In my boredom, I’ve been reflecting on the power of anticipation and I wanted to share some thoughts in this week’s blog.
I’ve been fascinated by the implications of this quote…
"Dopamine is not about the pursuit of happiness, it is about the happiness of pursuit.” - Dr. Robert Sapolsky.
Research often shows that we get as much (if not more!) joy from looking forward to an event as we do from the event itself.
This says a lot about our struggle to ‘live in the moment’ but also points to a powerful psychological trick. Bored? Plan something, even if it’s small.
Unfortunately, I certainly haven’t been intentional about planning things that I would naturally look forward to in these winter months. All I’ve done really is run, go to work, watch the TV or read and go to church… not much else.
Looking forward creates a kind of mental break. When school or work feels overwhelming, your brain can "visit" a future event to lower stress levels. Psychologists call this prospecting. By focusing on a positive future, you’re signalling to your nervous system that the current pressure is temporary. This "light at the end of the tunnel" helps prevent burnout by reminding you that life consists of more than just your current to-do list.
As I highlighted a moment ago, neuroscience shows that our brains often release more dopamine during the anticipation of a reward than during the reward itself. This means that simply having a concert, a football match or a meal with friends marked on your calendar provides a steady "drip-feed" of feel-good chemicals that helps you power through the mundane parts of the week. (It’s also why our phones keep us so addicted - we are constantly in a state of anticipation. We are always waiting for that message, notification or the reel/post that actually entertains or interests us).
Looking forward is also a huge part of building resilience. Anticipation acts as a powerful motivator for delayed gratification. When we know there is a meaningful reward waiting for us at the end of a difficult exam season, training plan or long week, the hard work feels purposeful rather than just draining. This sense of "working toward something" builds emotional grit, helping us stay steady because we have a clear, positive anchor in our future. Yes, ‘living in the moment’ is a skill we should all look to grow but ‘living for the moment’ is antithetical to resilience.
As I’ve said, I don’t think we need a massive event to feel excited, but micro-joys are just as effective. I think my reflection has led me to realise this is what I have missed. I often talk about how important reflection is: gratitude journaling etc, etc. This needs to be balanced with noticing the moment we are actually in as well as looking ahead. We can all harness the power of anticipation by planning small things.
As we head into the spring, take five minutes to put something in your diary that makes you smile. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. I’m going to make sure I don’t forget to do the same.
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