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The Little Extra that Makes a Big Difference2024-02-19
“Live simply, expect little, give much.”
—Norman Vincent Peale
At the level of basic biology, a little increase in stimulus above what is expected, especially if it occurs fast (high slope of stimulus), overcomes receptor tolerance, differentiates it from other stimuli, and leads to strong signal transmission.
For the brain, such a stimulus penetrates into consciousness. It triggers pleasure if it signals achievement, progress, or importance of your life. Conversely it triggers pain if it signals failure, regression, and insignificance of your life.
Doing a little bit faster a little bit more and of a little bit greater impact than is expected is the way to get your own and other people’s attention and respect, better results, and achieve socio-economic success. Keep track by journaling or with an app of which life activities and environments are above and beyond expectations, and have an outsized impact on your life success and life happiness. Do/experience more of them. They may turn on your active longevity biological machinery.