These very two things: learning a new language and losing weight through dieting, are a lot of people’s thorn in their side.

Many people battle through life, swearing to themselves that they will do one, or the other, or often both.

Many people, unfortunately, fail to achieve either. They feel that the carrot is always just a little bit too far away to bite. Yet they keep pushing towards their seemingly impossible goal, unable to bite that carrot dangling in front of their mouths. Sometimes the carrot almost brushes their teeth, but they just don’t seem to be able to sink their teeth into it, and the carrot escapes them again.

Then they get frustrated, maybe punish themselves, then give up.

But that damn carrot looks so tasty. They really want that carrot, they need that carrot. So they try again.

And the vicious circle starts all over again.[thrive_leads id=’1049′]

You know that feeling. We’ve all felt it with something.

These two desires share something in common.

What is that common thing that they share?

Well, to put it simply, they are both really easy to achieve. I mean, REALLY easy. In theory…

With learning a language, if you practise a little bit everyday, then over time you’ll improve.

That’s it. There’s no magic.

With losing weight, if you eat a little bit better, and move your body around a bit through exercise, then over time you’ll lose weight.

Done. Again, no magic.

Then why on earth is everybody not fluent in another language and slim?

The magic words in the above scenarios are “over time”, and humans are really bad at thinking long-term.

We all too often forget that we are animals. We like to think that we’re extremely intelligent beings that are 100% in control of our actions. But the reality is that most of our daily actions follow routines and habits that are dictated by quite primitive chemical reactions.

Our brains are programmed to seek out instant rewards.

Most habits are formed by an action which is then followed by a reward, in the form of dopamine release in the brain.

If you do something that the brain likes, it will release dopamine (and dopamine feels good…).

As humans, and therefore animals, we are always on the lookout for that dopamine reward. We want to feel good.

This dopamine release is nearly always for instant rewards, and hardly ever for a reward that will come later. We have to remember that primal instincts were put there to keep us alive, and survive another day. Instant survival, instant reward.

Our ancestors’ only priority was to live another day, not worry about things six months down the line. Dopamine was the reason those ancestors hunted an animal for hours on end, put a spear through its heart, then ate it. The brain released dopamine, they lived another day, and the dopamine motivated them to actively look for more opportunities to find food.

Dopamine teaches an animal to repeat an action if there is some instant benefit to that action. For example, food.

That is the way a habit is formed. It’s been with us for millennia. And for good reason.

It’s the only way the brain can internally motivate you to do something. More importantly, it’s the only way the brain tells you to repeat an action. If you do something that doesn’t deliver an instant reward, then no dopamine. You don’t actively seek to repeat that action.

No habit formed.

If you eat a piece of cake, the brain detects sugar and fat, and therefore lots of calories (good for surviving another day 100,000 years ago), dopamine is released, a habit is formed, and then you search for more cake.

Very useful 100,000 years ago. Our worst enemy today.

Unfortunately, this chemical reaction is so hardwired into the brain and so strong, that it is extremely difficult to counteract.

As a result, it makes us really bad at planning for the future. How much money have you put away for your retirement, by the way…?

One of the only times we bypassed this instant reward system – and experienced the benefits of long-term planning – was during the agricultural revolution.

You plough a field, sweat, plant seeds, cover the seeds in earth, water them, and nearly break your back in the process. What’s the instant reward?

Nothing.

BUT, if you cared for the plants that grew from the seeds, and waited a few months, you could enjoy an abundance of food.

This was the first real revolution, and dramatically changed human survival in the long-term. We prospered, and conquered the world.

Thinking in the short-term may help us get by today, but it is in the long-term where all the great benefits are waiting for us.

Bad habits are easy to form, but hard to live with. Good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with.

When learning a language, a person (with the best of intentions) will suddenly start to practise a lot, watching everything on TV in English, doing a load of practice exercises. But the brain will think, “Where’s the improvement? Why aren’t I fluent now? I’ve done loads of exercises in English today, and I’m not fluent!”.

No dopamine release. The person becomes frustrated, and doesn’t repeat it. No habit formed. And they’re back to square one.

This isn’t a sprint, guys. This is a marathon. The sprint might be easier and more accessible, but the rewards are much greater when you cross the line in a marathon.

Start practising on your own slowly.

Always remember how the primitive part of the brain works and tries to dominate your actions. Work with it, not against it.

Start slowly.

Think, “What ONE thing can I do in English today that will help me improve long-term?”

Do that one thing today for ten minutes. No more. When you finish, give yourself a pat on the back and tell yourself you’ve done something good, and smile. Feel good? That’s dopamine.

The primitive brain is easy to hack, when you know how.

Then do it again tomorrow. Then the next day, then the next. Then increase it to fifteen minutes. Then do ten minutes in the morning and fifteen minutes in the evening.

You can even trick the brain by doing some English practice, then rewarding yourself afterwards (not with cake, that’s a bad idea…). A fake carrot for the brain, but one you actually bite. Eventually, the brain will associate the reward with English practice, and it’ll be easier to keep up the habit.

You need to create a habit, and good habits are hard to form, but easy to keep.

Now go plant that seed, and enjoy the abundance you WILL receive in the future.[thrive_leads id=’1049′]