Rewards

References

• A/M Session 7 Rewarding My Successes (even for small steps)

Summary by @Howard

How it Works: Rewards reinforce your sense of accomplishment and make the connection between your effort and your purpose.

In the beginning it is important to mark your successes with a tangible reward. As time passes you will get internal rewards as you can feel your success but it is always key to recognize and reinforce successful management of temptation.

Rewards can be anything. They don’t have to be large or expensive, but a happy reminder of your effort and success.

Neurologically, our brains respond to rewards with feel good chemicals like dopamine that will make striving for success more likely on future occasions.

What to Do: Make a list of activities or gifts that you enjoy and are meaningful to you. When you have achieved success, ensure that you are rewarded for your progress.

Over time you will probably need to change your reward contingencies. What might be a really tough task in the beginning of your journey, like delaying an urge, might become normal behavior and rewards should be kept for meeting tougher challenges.

Airplane metaphor. Getting recognition for reaching increasing levels of competence.

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Despite the over-simplicity of viewing learning as a function of reward and punishment, these concepts do have relevance to behavior change.  Just to clarify some of the terms used:

Rewards come in the form of…

a) Positive reinforcement, which is an increase in good feelings

b) Negative reinforcement is a decrease in negative feelings

Punishment comes in the form of…

a) Increase in negative feelings

b) Decrease in positive feelings

Rewards for successful new behaviors are therefore important to create the appropriate positive associations.

Rewards can come in many forms but perhaps the most important one is the reward you give yourself when you recognize a positive change in your behavior.

ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SUCCESSES

No matter how small, a success is another step forward on your journey. And ultimate success is just a series of steps.

In addition to self-recognition, you can always manifest reward as a physical benefit, such as a gift to yourself.  Each step is a milestone that needs to not only be recognized but FELT.

There is a reward system in the brain that consists of feel good chemicals like the neurotransmitter dopamine. Rewards should activate this system so that you literally feel good about your accomplishments.

How will you reward yourself?

Torah Sources

• I read in the biography of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt"l that there were those amongst the hanhala in the Mir that disliked his penchant for offering the bachurim cash prizes for doing the whole masechta shakla v'tarya, etc., and one once said to him, "Perhaps we should start paying the bachurim to say brachos with kavanah?!" But he shrugged off the criticism

Specs

• Learning Curve: Easy
• Practice: None
• Urge Strength: Weak / Medium
• Customization: What will the reward be? (pat yourself on the back or concrete reward)
• Materials: None
• Type: "Reinforcement"
• Brain Effect: Medium
• Easier with Time: Medium
• Editors choice: No