The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance

by Steven Kotler

So important is prediction to survival, that when the brain guesses correctly—i.e., when the brain’s pattern-recognition system identifies a correct pattern—we get a reward, a tiny squirt of the feel-good neurochemical dopamine. Dopamine feels really good. Cocaine, widely considered one of the most addictive substances on earth, does little besides cause the brain to release dopamine and then block its reuptake. This same rush reinforces pattern recognition—it’s why learning happens. But dopamine actually does double duty. Not only does this neurotransmitter help us learn new patterns, it also amps up attention and reduces noise in neural networks, making it easier for us to notice more patterns. And noticing patterns actually prepares the brain to notice more patterns. It’s why creative insights tend to snowball. Once we do the hard work of identifying that first pattern, the dopamine dumped in our system primes us to pick out the next. And the next. Neurons that fire together wire together. The more times a particular pattern fires, the stronger the connection between neurons becomes, and the faster information flows along this route. This is learning and it leads to “chunking.” When the pattern recognition system correctly identifies a pattern, it’s stored not as a series of steps, rather as a whole—a chunk. Chunks get added to chunks get added to chunks, until seeing the front edge of a tiny pattern allows us to make very complicated predictions about the future.