Have you ever added something you've already completed to your to-do list just to check it off? Similarly, when your son hears that familiar chime signaling a level-up in a video game, checking off a task produces a little dopamine hit. It feels good and motivates us to keep moving forward.

These two chapters are all about hacking our brains because having even a little knowledge of neurochemistry can set us up to win. Why is a motivator helpful? Why can't we just will ourselves to act? Because we're wired to conserve our energy. Considering all of human existence, it wasn't that long ago that access to food wasn't as readily available as it is today. Unbeknownst to our ancestors, neurochemistry motivated them to hunt and gather.

The Market has capitalized on this knowledge to hack sales. Why do many modern songs sound similar? When a particular type of beat "drops," dopamine hit. That ding of a text, dopamine hit. As mentioned earlier, leveling up in a video game, dopamine hit. So, why not use the dopamine hit in our favor?

To clarify, the authors do not suggest we only set easy goals (read: manageable goals). Boys long to be called into a great adventure! However, living in the comfort zone is far easier than ever—as starvation is pretty much off the table—and help with that first step is beneficial. Hello, "easy" goal: that little dopamine hit (the force) that acts upon an object at rest... and research shows that we get "in the zone" after about 15 minutes of focus.

The movie We Bought a Zoo taps into this idea when the father encourages his son to have "20 seconds of courage," promising that "great things will come of it." Courage does not vanish; the father knows that sometimes the most challenging part is getting started. And so, we escape the comfort zone with an easy goal.

During chapters 9 and 10, your son identified two of the five "games" to focus on. (School, money, relationships, health, and fun.) Consider returning to those two choices this week and setting some easy goals.