The relationship between attention, memory, and affection has long been well known in neuropsychology. The relationship works more or less like this: the event and the emotional triggering from it, allow the individual, according to the variation of emotional intensity, to fix with more or less quality, the contents that must be fixed from the event.

In a scale of intensity and efficiency in setting memories, Pleasure and fear come in the first place. But, remember that certain scales of fear can generate blackout in the system. Therefore, stable scales of fear, for example, those derived from a certain degree of pressure and stress at work, school or life in general, can be extremely efficient in the short term (6 months a year).

It works in a somewhat obvious way, a spectrum of moral or physical threat is generated in the environment, and it persists for a period equal to the resolution of the task. For example, “If you take a low note this year, Santa will not bring gifts.” When December arrives, the evaluation of the school is made and, if there is no income expected, Santa Claus does not bring the press. But in the next year, the threat is renewed after being hit without her being present.

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This works on the desktop wonderfully well. A deadline is defined, negative consequences are determined not necessarily explicit and the deadline is expected.

In both cases, during the lifetime of the threat, the brain will have power. Elee will be reacting to the environment with more vigor, attention, readiness. He will be working with perfect doses of adrenaline, cortisol, dopamine, and endorphin. Being thus, in its better yield.

The problem lies in the fact that the body becomes accustomed to everything and, over time, will also become used to the massive presence of these substances, and therefore their effects will cease to be perceived, causing the yield to return to the previous pattern. For this, the management of memory by fear is fleeting. There is no deadline, no template, no effective time for all people. So the threat manager, the father, the mother, the manager, or Santa Claus, need to be keenly aware of their leaders.

More complicated still, the constant and prolonged exposure to this model can lead to harmful consequences such as depression and anxiety. Turning everyone’s lives around into chaos and suffering.

Managing the memorization process for pleasure is much more efficient. Learning with pleasure is priceless and usually requires zero effort. A silly but absolutely real example is the ease with which we learn puzzles and little jokes. Exposure to the stimulus is enough and it is memorized for a lifetime.

This is also due to the brain’s ability to be swiftly flooded by the neurotransmitters and hormones responsible for the sense of well-being and pleasure (this is not true when we are chronically ill). Think of foods you like, think about your hobbies, think about the things you enjoy and give you pleasure, and immediately the brain begins to flood with an absolutely rewarding neurotransmitter balance.

But as much as you love lasagna, eating lasagna every day, makes the lasagna lose grace with the passage of time. Then, just as in fear, the continued pleasure causes the end of the sensibilization, and as the days go by if the stimulus loses its force. Therefore, building an environment that is constantly stimulating and pleasurable is impossible. So, how to make another person happy, raise a child so that he “is happy”, making a CONSTANTLY pleasant environment is impossible. Consistency leads the body to habit, and hence the zone of comfort, or homeostasis.

What makes traveling to fantastic places delightful and exciting is the contrast, if you live for many years in this fantastic place, the habit will make this place special, a commonplace.

That will be worth for all things, love, sex, fun, music, food …. the habit takes the contrast off and therefore the impression.

Teaching with pleasure is a way to allow one to learn with pleasure. But what about work? An enthusiastic education may have more value and quality in learning than the fear of Santa Claus. But, how to take this day to day and, more, how to transport this to the work environment? Enchant yourself with the spreadsheets …

I do not know. if you know it… please, share it!

Raul de Freitas Buchi