Andrew Huberman Tells Joe Rogan Doing Something Harder Can Push You Through Tough Times
We’ve all had those days where things feel just a bit overwhelming. Maybe it’s work-related, or something going on at home, or maybe you just find yourself in a funk.
Regardless of the situation, it happens to the best of us. However, the age-old saying "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going" may apply even more than initially known.
As hard as things may seem that day, or in that instant, neuroscientist and 'Huberman Lab' podcast host, Andrew Huberman, issued some strong advice on how to break out of the slump.
While speaking on the 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast, Huberman explained that the best way to push through is to do something even harder than anything you're currently facing.
Life hack: Do hard things.
— Joe Rogan Podcast News (@joeroganhq) June 6, 2025
Andrew Huberman to Joe Rogan: When you're suffering, or lazy, doing something harder than your current state bounces you back. pic.twitter.com/h0q27PIiOX
"What's very clear is that when you're suffering, or you're lazy or you're procrastinating, doing something that's harder than the state that you're in, bounces you back much faster," Huberman says. "This is all based on the dynamics of dopamine."
He explains that while many people will go and do something like "cleaning the house," or anything easier than whatever they're attempting to do, it should be just the opposite.
As Huberman details, doing something more challenging will deploy dopamine at a higher level and make you a "different person."
It's an interesting breakdown of how dopamine works and can help people break through those tough times or overcome mental roadblocks while doing those daunting tasks. The approach makes a lot of sense, and from Huberman's comments, it sounds as though his mindset focuses on anything that's considered "harder," even if the project isn't directly related to whatever it is that has you stuck.
Give it a try and see how your body and mind react the next time you find yourself in a rut or struggling to get through a project. Whatever it is, I'm sure we'd all welcome a path leading to daily improved production.
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