What’s holding you back in life? If you’ve been struggling to get things done and want to switch from losing to winning, you have got to work on boosting your motivation levels.
The only problem with a lack of motivation is that it’s a situation that’s difficult to pin down. It’s unlike low brain-energy. With low brain energy, you simply need to get enough rest to allow the neurons to recharge.
Motivation stems from deeper brain-related issues. And to be even more specific, it has a lot to do with the quantities and distribution of neurotransmitters like Dopamine and GABA in the brain.
So, if you’re sick and tired of giving excuses, struggling to beat deadlines, trying to stick to weight loss plans with no success, it’s time to TAKE ACTION. And as we’ll show you in the next few paragraphs, nootropics might just be the change you need in your life.
Top Nootropics For Motivation in 2024
Nootropic | Found | Dosage | |
---|---|---|---|
NALT Learn More | Natural | 300 mg | |
Rhodiola Rosea Learn More | Natural | 50-680 mg | |
L-Theanine Learn More | Natural | 100-200 mg | |
Noopept | Synthetic | 10-20 mg |
How Loss of Motivation Occurs
Some people tend to mistake the lack of motivation with laziness. But the truth of the matter is that you can be more than willing to work and even show up at your workstation. Unfortunately, when given some work to do, you just can’t get it done.
Your mind easily gets distracted. And before you know it, you’re wallowing in self-pity, fear, despair, and complacency.
So, what has your brain got to do with it?
Comparing Slacker and Go-Getters
In a study conducted by a team of researchers from the Vanderbilt University, two groups of people were brought together i.e. slackers and go-getters. Subjects from those two groups had PET scans done on them to map their brains.
What these researchers found out was quite interesting. First off, they observed that the go-getters had higher levels of dopamine in the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These are the parts of the brain linked to motivation.
As for the slackers, the team of researchers found higher quantities of dopamine in the anterior insula part of the brain. This is the part of the brain associated with risk perception and emotions.
And it’s, therefore, no surprise that when demotivated, some people become emotional and full of fear. In fact, scientists in this study reported that some of the “slackers” in their report had a reduced desire to work even if that meant earning less money.
Sounds familiar? Read more to find out what you can do about this problem.
How Nootropics Can Help
Motivation comes from within. And the key neurotransmitter behind it is dopamine. When a person tells you that they are feeling “dope.” You should know that the word dope comes from dopamine in full.
In other words, this brain chemical is the spice of life. And if you’re having a short supply of it, you need to opt for a nootropic intervention that boosts its production.
Apart from dopamine, another hormone that affects motivation is known as glutamate. Glutamate neurons are associated with the activation of dopamine neurons in a region of the brain known as the dorsal raphe nucleus.
When the dorsal raphe nucleus region is stimulated, it activates the dopamine reward system which as we have already seen has everything to do with your motivation levels.
Nootropics for Lack of Motivation
Now that we have understood what causes motivation and the steps you can take to reverse it, let’s talk about the specific nootropics for this job.
1. N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
This is a more effective form of L-tyrosine which is mainly found in energy drinks. One thing you need to know about NALT is that it replenishes dopamine.
Indeed, tyrosine burnout is one of the key reasons why people struggle to remain enthused in mid-afternoons especially if they’ve been working extremely hard since morning.
Simply put, L-tyrosine is the fuel you need to ace complex tasks and long working hours. And if you’ve been struggling with motivation of late, chances are that your tyrosine reserves are nearing reaching “empty.”
Left unattended to, this can lead to neurodamaging stress. And this can further negatively affect your brain health in the long-run. So, be sure to get a bit of NALT every so often just to ensure that your biochemical system is optimal.
2. Rhodiola Rosea
Fatigue can be a major deterrent to your productivity plan. Yet it’s normal to get tired from time to time especially when you need to tackle some detail-oriented tasks.
Fortunately, Rhodiola Rosea exists. It’s an adaptogen which simply means that it has all it takes to help you deal with the stress associated with working and thinking hard over prolonged periods.
What’s more? This root extract stimulates your nervous system and encourages the growth of new brain cells through a process known as neurogenesis.
In the long-run, Rhodiola is a great choice for stamina building. It also helps enhance your abilities to resist stress and can be of great help when you need to overcome depression and self-pity.
3. L-Theanine
Whenever you see L-Theanine appearing in the list of a product’s ingredients think mental stability. This natural nootropic is obtained from green tea leaves and its job is to enhance the stability of your alpha and beta brainwaves.
When your alpha and beta brainwaves are in sync, you can have an easier time focusing on complex tasks. At the same time, L-theanine indirectly increases the production of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine.
What’s more? The noot promotes anxiolytic relaxation. In other words, it helps you overcome anxiety – and as you know, anxiety can be a big obstacle especially if you’re running low on your motivation fuel.
Please note that L-theanine works best when stacked with caffeine. So, instead of taking coffee alone, you might find it important to take a bit of l-theanine. It has the potential to calm down the jitters and prevent the “crash” that comes within a few hours of taking coffee.
4. Noopept
This is a neuroprotector cum memory enhancer. It’s thought be 1000 times more powerful than Piracetam, the god-father of all nootropics.
The biggest benefit of taking noopept in relation to lack of motivation is that it replenishes your brain’s energy reserves. In particular, it provides you with greater control over your emotions.
Low motivation is associated with a shrinking Hippocampus. But noopept can help reverse that by improving your brain biochemistry.
Also, this popular smart drug is known to increase the production of BDNF and NGF. These are extremely important neuroprotective properties.
And to top it all up, you can still count on noopept to provide you with better stimulation than caffeine’s. And unlike caffeine, it doesn’t raise your heart rate or leave you down with a crash afterward.
Are you always struggling with self-pity and emotional imbalance especially when your productivity dips? This smart drug has all it takes to stabilize your emotions. In a past study by Dr. Ostrovaskaya and his research team, it was reported that a bit of noopept per day can go a long way in promoting better emotional health and protecting the brain cells as well.
Pre-Made Stacks for Motivation
There are numerous reasons why you might lose motivation. It might be due to low supplies of dopamine, GABA, a shrinking hippocampus or having too much dopamine in the anterior insula.
Since it’s not always easy to zero-in to the specific culprit, your best bet is to go for nootropic stacks that are designed to address multiple pressure points at once. Our top recommended ones are as follows:
1. Qualia Mind
Designed by a company called Neurohacker, Qualia Mind contains a wide variety of natural ingredients and is, therefore, best suited for tackling multiple pressure points. In particular, it contains N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) which as we have observed is key to better motivation.
It also packs Rhodiola Rosea which is needed for resilience and L-theanine which brings mental stability. We’d recommend Qualia Mind to anyone wishing to improve their brain energy and the ability to pay attention.
Plus if you think that your lack of motivation is due to fatigue, the Rhodiola Rosea root extract in it is just enough to keep you going.
2. Mind Lab Pro
This is our number #1 recommended ready-made nootropic product for motivation building. It contains better-quality ingredients than Qualia Mind and so you need fewer pills of it per day to perform at your level best.
Produced by a company called Opti-Nutra, it contains highly bioavailable forms of Bacopa Monnieri (an adaptogen), NALT, L-Theanine, and Rhodiola Rosea. Once again, that’s pretty much all you need to overcome complacency and function optimally.
3. Awakened Gold
This is a product of a company called Awakened Alchemy. It contains a healthy supply of natural nootropics meant to support brain energy and regeneration. Most importantly, it contains noopept which as we have mentioned is an extremely powerful smart drug for performance-related issues.
Final Thoughts
If you need an ongoing kick in the pants so you can focus your energy on the things that matter the most to your life, we hope that you’ll find the recommendations above useful. Remember, we are all created with a powerful brain. But to make the most of it, you need to ensure that it’s provided with the right nutrients.
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I’m Daniel. Just an average guy trying to share his love for nootropics, biohacking, and life optimization. Follow me on my journey to learning how I use nootropics on a daily basis.