The Allure of Chaos
Or, one reason success might be eluding you. For those of us who pursue long-term goals with discrete endings, such as preparing work for a solo art exhibition, working towards a PhD, saving for our first SCUBA trip, or finally competing at the national level in weightlifting, actually achieving the goal can be bittersweet. Many of us feel directionless in the wake of an accomplishment. Life loses meaning. We may spiral into a depressive episode. Blame the dopaminergic brain.